To apply for New Jersey Medicaid, first pick the right door: NJ FamilyCare has two separate application paths, and starting at the wrong one slows you down.
If you're applying for a child, a working-age adult, or a pregnant resident, you apply through New Jersey Medicaid online, with phone help available. If you're 65 or older, blind, or disabled, or you're applying for nursing-home or in-home long-term care, you apply through your County Social Service Agency instead. This guide walks through each route, what documents to gather, and what happens after you submit. If you're not sure you qualify yet, start with our guide to New Jersey Medicaid eligibility and income limits.
How to apply for New Jersey Medicaid: which door is yours
New Jersey runs two application systems, and the split is the same one that governs eligibility. Getting it right at the start saves time.
- MAGI groups (income-based): children under 19, parents and other adults 19 to 64 who don't have Medicare, and pregnant residents. These applications go through NJ FamilyCare, online or with phone help, and have no asset or resources test.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.603 — Application of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.603
- Aged, blind, and disabled (ABD), and long-term care: people 65 and older, people determined blind or disabled, adults 19 to 64 who have Medicare, and anyone seeking MLTSS (nursing-home or in-home long-term care). These go through the County Social Service Agency, the county welfare office that handles non-MAGI (SSI-related) cases; DMAHS also calls it the County Welfare Agency.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Oct 3, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110
If you've been determined eligible for Supplemental Security Income, you don't need a separate application; you automatically receive full NJ FamilyCare ABD benefits.Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Poverty Guidelines. aspe.hhs.gov. Retrieved Jul 31, 2026, from https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines
One timing note: NJ FamilyCare's own site warns that the rules to qualify will change starting fall 2026, so check its current eligibility page before you apply.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110 Some of those changes now have dates. DMAHS says that beginning October 1, 2026, some non-citizen immigrants may no longer qualify, and that beginning January 1, 2027, certain adults 19 to 64 will have to work, volunteer, or go to school to keep or qualify for coverage, and renew every 6 months instead of every 12. DMAHS lists aged, blind, and disabled members among those who may not have to work, volunteer, or go to school.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Oct 3, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110
| If you're applying for | Apply through | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Children, adults 19-64 without Medicare, or pregnant residents (MAGI) | NJ FamilyCare, online or with phone help | njfamilycare.dhs.state.nj.us/apply.aspx or 1-800-701-0710 |
| Aged, blind, or disabled, not seeking long-term care | County Social Service Agency (ABD application) | Online or by mail via njfamilycare.dhs.state.nj.us/abd.htm, or in person at your county office |
| Long-term care (MLTSS / nursing home) | County Social Service Agency, plus a clinical screening | Financial application plus level-of-care screening |
| Someone determined eligible for SSI | No application needed | Full ABD benefits automatically |
How to apply for New Jersey Medicaid, step by step
Once you know which door is yours, the sequence below gets you from start to submitted. MAGI applicants (children, adults, and pregnant residents) use steps 1 through 3; aged, blind, disabled, and long-term-care applicants use steps 1, then 4 (and step 5 if it's long-term care).
Gather your documents first
Before you start any application, pull together records of your income (pay stubs, benefit award letters, pension statements) and your immigration or citizenship status, since both bear on whether you qualify.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.603 — Application of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.603 Aged, blind, and disabled applicants are judged on countable resources as well as income, so add asset records such as bank statements and property records.Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Poverty Guidelines. aspe.hhs.gov. Retrieved Jul 31, 2026, from https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines Long-term-care applicants need records for the whole look-back period, which runs from five years before your first MLTSS application up to the current one and so can be longer than five years.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicaid.gov - Spousal Impoverishment (federal spousal-impoverishment framework). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/spousal-impoverishment Having these ready up front cuts down the back-and-forth after you file.
MAGI applicants: apply online, the fastest route
For children, adults 19 to 64, and pregnant residents, NJ FamilyCare calls applying online the fastest and easiest way to apply.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110 Start at the NJ FamilyCare online application. There is no asset or resources test for these groups.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.603 — Application of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.603
Want help? Call a Health Benefits Coordinator
If you'd rather not work through the website alone, call a Health Benefits Coordinator at 1-800-701-0710 (TTY 711) for phone help with your NJ FamilyCare application.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110
Aged, blind, disabled, or long-term care: file the ABD application through your county
If you're 65 or older, blind, or disabled, or you're seeking long-term care, your application goes through your County Social Service Agency (DMAHS also calls it the County Welfare Agency), not the online MAGI portal. File the Aged, Blind, Disabled (ABD) application at njfamilycare.dhs.state.nj.us/abd.htm, either online after registering with an email account or by printing it and mailing it in with any supplemental forms; applying in person at your county office is also an option, but it isn't required. The county agency does the financial evaluation, reviewing your income and assets and applying the five-year look-back for long-term-care applicants.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110,Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medicaid.gov - Spousal Impoverishment (federal spousal-impoverishment framework). medicaid.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/spousal-impoverishment
Long-term care only: complete the clinical screening too
Qualifying for MLTSS (New Jersey's managed long-term care) means clearing a second determination alongside the financial one. For adults 21 and older, where you schedule the nursing-facility level-of-care screening depends on your circumstances: if you live in the community and are not already enrolled in a Medicaid program, call your Area Agency on Aging, your county's Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC), at 1-877-222-3737; if you are already enrolled in a Medicaid program, call the member services number on the back of your health plan or HMO card and ask for a clinical eligibility exam for MLTSS; and if you already live in a facility such as an assisted living residence or nursing home, ask the social worker there to help you schedule it. The final clinical determination is made through the Division of Aging Services. For children birth through 20, contact the NJ Division of Disability Services at 1-888-285-3036 to speak with an Information and Referral Specialist. You don't need to live in a nursing home to apply for MLTSS.State of New Jersey. (n.d.). Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS). nj.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/individuals-families/familycare/mltss/ Start the clinical and financial tracks at the same time: New Jersey completes the county's financial review and the Division of Aging Services' clinical determination concurrently, so don't wait for one to finish before starting the other.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110
Where to get help applying
If you get stuck, these are the offices that can take your application, screen you, or fix a paperwork gap.
If you're denied: how to appeal
A denial isn't the end of the road. If New Jersey Medicaid denies your application, the notice you receive explains why and tells you how to request a Medicaid fair hearing. The deadline that binds you is the one printed on that notice. Federal rules (42 CFR 431.221(d)) require the state to allow a reasonable time to request a hearing and cap that window at 90 days from the date the notice is mailed, but 90 days is a ceiling on what a state may allow, not a floor you are guaranteed. A state is free to set a shorter deadline, and a shorter one is fully enforceable against you. So read the notice first and count from its date rather than assuming you have three months.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 431.221(d) — Request for a hearing (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Aug 8, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-C/part-431/subpart-E/section-431.221 For long-term care, an appeal isn't your only option: New Jersey's MLTSS guidance says that if an application is denied for a missed deadline, missing documents, or income or resources that are too high, you don't have to wait to reapply, and you can file a new application if your circumstances have changed.State of New Jersey. (n.d.). Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS). nj.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/individuals-families/familycare/mltss/ If the problem is income over the long-term-care limit, a Qualified Income Trust funded with the excess income is the route New Jersey requires for that applicant.Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Poverty Guidelines. aspe.hhs.gov. Retrieved Jul 31, 2026, from https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines Request the hearing using the instructions on your denial notice.
After you apply for New Jersey Medicaid: what to expect
After you submit, the agency reviews your application and may ask for more documents. For long-term care, the clinical screening and the financial review proceed in parallel. If you're approved, NJ FamilyCare says you must choose a managed care organization (health plan) to provide your coverage, and for long-term-care members that plan coordinates their MLTSS services.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Oct 3, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110,State of New Jersey. (n.d.). Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS). nj.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/individuals-families/familycare/mltss/
How long a decision takes
Federal rules set the outer limits. Under 42 CFR 435.912, a state Medicaid agency has no more than 90 days to decide for applicants who apply for Medicaid on the basis of disability, and no more than 45 days for all other applicants.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2026). 42 CFR 435.912(c)(3) — Timely determination of eligibility (eCFR current text, as revised eff. July 31, 2026). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.912 Which limit applies turns on the basis you applied under, not on whether a disability determination happens to arise while the county reviews your file. That distinction matters most in long-term care: if you are 65 or older and applying on the basis of age, the county is capped at 45 days even though the case also carries a full asset review, a five-year look-back, and a clinical screening, so day 46 with no decision, and no delay on your side, is worth a call rather than more waiting. The limits do have exceptions: the regulation excuses them in unusual circumstances, for example when the applicant or an examining physician delays or fails to take a required action, or an emergency beyond the agency's control. The agency must document the reason for any delay in your case record, and it may not deny you because it ran out of time.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2026). 42 CFR 435.912(c)(3) — Timely determination of eligibility (eCFR current text, as revised eff. July 31, 2026). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.912 The fastest way to keep your application moving is to answer any request for more documents quickly.
Coverage that reaches back
The date you apply matters because of retroactive eligibility. Federal law requires state Medicaid programs, once you're approved, to cover eligible medical bills incurred in or after the third month before the month you applied, as long as you would have qualified when the care was provided. The exact start date inside that window is set by each state's plan, and a state's window can be shorter under an approved Section 1115 demonstration, so confirm New Jersey's current window with your county agency.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(34) — U.S. Code, 2024 Edition (govinfo.gov), the text in force for applications made before January 1, 2027. govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/html/USCODE-2024-title42-chap7-subchapXIX-sec1396a.htm Under the federal default, a nursing-home bill from two months before your application can still be covered if you were eligible then. One change is coming: under a 2025 federal law, applications filed on or after January 1, 2027 get a shorter retroactive window, capped at two months before the application month for most enrollees and one month for the Medicaid expansion group.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(34) — U.S. Code, 2024 Edition (govinfo.gov), the text in force for applications made before January 1, 2027. govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/html/USCODE-2024-title42-chap7-subchapXIX-sec1396a.htm
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the phone number to apply for NJ FamilyCare?
Call a Health Benefits Coordinator at 1-800-701-0710 (TTY 711) for phone help with your NJ FamilyCare application.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110
Where does a senior or disabled person apply for NJ Medicaid?
Through the County Social Service Agency in the county where they live, not the online MAGI application. That office, which DMAHS also calls the County Welfare Agency, handles aged, blind, disabled, and long-term-care cases, including the asset review and the look-back.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110,State of New Jersey. (n.d.). Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS). nj.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/individuals-families/familycare/mltss/
How do I apply for nursing-home Medicaid in New Jersey?
It's a two-track process. File the financial application with your County Social Service Agency, and complete the clinical nursing-facility level-of-care screening. Where you schedule that screening depends on your situation: through your Area Agency on Aging / ADRC at 1-877-222-3737 if you live in the community and are not already on Medicaid, through the member services number on your health plan card if you are already enrolled in a Medicaid program, or through the social worker where you live if you are already in a facility. Both tracks run at the same time, and you need both to enroll in MLTSS.State of New Jersey. (n.d.). Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS). nj.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/individuals-families/familycare/mltss/,U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 435.110(b) — parents and other caretaker relatives are a mandatory MAGI group (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Sep 4, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.110
Do I have to apply if I get SSI?
No. New Jersey residents determined eligible for Supplemental Security Income automatically receive full NJ FamilyCare ABD benefits.Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Poverty Guidelines. aspe.hhs.gov. Retrieved Jul 31, 2026, from https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines
How long does a decision take?
Federal rules cap the county at 45 days, or at 90 days if you apply for Medicaid on the basis of disability.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2026). 42 CFR 435.912(c)(3) — Timely determination of eligibility (eCFR current text, as revised eff. July 31, 2026). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.912 The clock follows the basis you applied under, not whether a disability question arises, so an applicant 65 or older applying on the basis of age is on the 45-day clock even in a long-term-care case with a full asset review and five-year look-back. Unusual circumstances, such as a delay by the applicant or an examining physician, can excuse those limits, but the agency can't deny you simply because it ran out of time.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2026). 42 CFR 435.912(c)(3) — Timely determination of eligibility (eCFR current text, as revised eff. July 31, 2026). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-435.912 Submitting complete documentation up front, and answering any follow-up requests quickly, is the best way to avoid delay.
What if my NJ Medicaid application is denied?
You can request a Medicaid fair hearing, and the denial notice itself explains how. Go by the deadline printed on that notice. Federal rules cap a state's request window at 90 days from the date the notice is mailed, but that is a ceiling on what the state may allow rather than a guarantee to you, and New Jersey may set a shorter deadline that still binds.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 431.221(d) — Request for a hearing (eCFR, current). ecfr.gov. Retrieved Aug 8, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-C/part-431/subpart-E/section-431.221 For a long-term-care (MLTSS) application denied for missing documents or for income or resources that were too high, you don't have to wait to reapply.State of New Jersey. (n.d.). Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS). nj.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmahs/individuals-families/familycare/mltss/
Can my Medicaid coverage cover bills from before I applied?
Often, yes. Federal law sets the default: once you're approved, Medicaid covers eligible bills incurred in or after the third month before the month you applied, if you would have qualified then. A state's window can be shorter under a Section 1115 demonstration, so confirm New Jersey's current window with your county agency.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(34) — U.S. Code, 2024 Edition (govinfo.gov), the text in force for applications made before January 1, 2027. govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/html/USCODE-2024-title42-chap7-subchapXIX-sec1396a.htm For applications filed on or after January 1, 2027, a new federal law shortens that window to two months for most enrollees and one month for the Medicaid expansion group.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (2024). 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(34) — U.S. Code, 2024 Edition (govinfo.gov), the text in force for applications made before January 1, 2027. govinfo.gov. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title42/html/USCODE-2024-title42-chap7-subchapXIX-sec1396a.htm
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