Your Texas Benefits Medicaid Card
The Your Texas Benefits Medicaid card is your Medicaid ID card. Take it with you whenever you go to the doctor, dentist, or drug store. Protect it the way you would your driver’s license or credit card. If you lost your card or it got damaged, you can order a new one by calling 1-855-827-3748. That’s a toll-free call.
To learn more about the Your Texas Benefits Medicaid card, look at the questions and answers we have posted.
Lone Star Card
HHSC gives SNAP food benefits and TANF cash help payments through the Lone Star Card. It is a plastic card that is used like a debit card to pay for items.
If your card is lost or stolen, or if you forgot your PIN (password), call us as soon as you can 1-800-777-7328 (toll-free).
To learn more, go to the Lone Star Card Questions and Answers page.
Find a Doctor
You can use our search tool to find a doctor who gives Medicaid services. There are two types of searches — the Basic Search and the Advanced Search. The Advanced Search gives you more options to help you narrow your search. For example, you can look up a doctor by the language they speak, find doctors who work on the weekends and find a doctor that will see someone your age.
The Basic Search, Advanced Search and text in Spanish options will be on the top of these web pages: Start your search
Find a Drug Store
You can use our search tools to find a drug store that takes Medicaid or CHIP.
Find drug stores that deliver.
Remember: Try to use one drug store at the same location to get all of your prescriptions.
Need medical supplies? You can get some supplies like insulin syringes and inhalers at drug stores that take Medicaid. [Learn more]
MyChildrensMedicaid.org
Need to know more about your child’s Medicaid benefits? Do you have questions about Texas Health Steps? MyChildrensMedicaid.org is your online source for facts about Children’s Medicaid and the checkups and services your child gets through Texas Health Steps.
How to Pay CHIP Enrollment Fee
Pay Online
You may pay a Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment fee online with a credit card. There is a $2 charge to pay online.
Pay by Mail
If you would like to pay by check or money order, you can send your payment to:
PO Box 660287
Dallas, TX 75266-9792
To learn more about CHIP, visit the CHIP and Children's Medicaid website.
Health Insurance Premium Payment
The Health Insurance Premium Payment program (HIPP) is a Medicaid program that helps families pay for private health insurance. This program is for families who have:
- A parent or a spouse with private health insurance.
- A child or a spouse with Medicaid.
AND
Medicaid will pay the family's private health insurance if the total cost of that insurance is less than the total cost of care with Medicaid. The total cost of the private insurance includes the premium, coinsurance and deductibles.
If approved, Medicaid may pay the private health insurance costs for the entire family and not just for the family members who get Medicaid. The family will get services through the private health insurance plan.
To learn more or to apply, call us toll-free at 1-800-440-0493 or write to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, TMHP-HIPP, PO Box 201120; Austin, Texas 78720-1120.
How to Get a Ride to the Doctor, Dentist, or Drug Store
If you need a ride to the doctor or dentist’s office, hospital, drug store or any place you get Medicaid services, call us toll-free:
Live in the Houston / Beaumont area? Call 1-855-687-4786.
Live in the Dallas area? Call 1-855-687-3255.
Everyone else can call 1-877-633-8747 (1-877-MED-TRIP).
To get a ride, you or your child must be on Medicaid or be in the Children with Special Health Care Needs program. You also must not have any other way to get to the doctor or drug store.
Before you call for a ride you must have already set up a time to see a doctor. To get a ride:
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Call us at least 2 work days or more before you need a ride. If you will need to travel a long way out of town to see your doctor, call us at least 5 work days before you need a ride. If you need a ride the same day you call us, we will do everything we can to help, but we can’t promise we will be able to get you a ride.
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Tell us your Medicaid ID, Children with Special Health Care Needs program number or your Social Security number.
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Tell us the address where we will pick you up. If there is a phone number at the place we are picking you up, we need that too.
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Tell us the name, address and phone number of the doctor or drug store where you need to go.
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Tell us the date and time of your doctor’s visit.
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Tell us if you or your children have any special needs so we can send the right type of vehicle. For example, for people who use a wheelchair, we can send a van with a wheelchair ramp.
[Read Frequently Asked Questions about Getting a Ride]
Texas Medicaid Wellness Program
The Texas Medicaid Wellness Program is a special health program for people who get Medicaid and have long-lasting or serious health conditions. These conditions can include asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and others.
People in this program can get help anytime of day or night with:
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Getting an answer to a health question.
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Finding a main doctor.
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Managing their health between doctor visits.
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Learning more about their health conditions.
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Knowing how to take their medicines.
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Picking the best medical care for their health.
Learn more about the Wellness Program.
Different Types of Medicaid: STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Health, and traditional Medicaid
In Texas, there are 4 different types of Medicaid: STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Health, and traditional Medicaid. The type of Medicaid coverage a person gets depends on where the person lives and what kind of health issues the person has.
STAR and STAR+PLUS have several medical plans that deliver Medicaid services. Click on each type of Medicaid listed below to:
Learn more about that type of Medicaid
Find links to the member handbooks for each medical plan.
If you don't know what type of Medicaid you have, call toll-free 1-800-964-2777.
Traditional Medicaid
STAR
STAR+PLUS
STAR Health
Traditional Medicaid
You get traditional Medicaid if you are not in STAR, STAR+PLUS, or STAR Health.
Member Handbook: English | Spanish
STAR
You can find the STAR medical plans in your area by using the Find Your Medical Plan search tool.
Aetna Better Health
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Amerigroup
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
CHRISTUS Health Plan
Member Handbooks: | English | Spanish
Community First Health Plans
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Community Health Choice
Member Handbooks: English/Spanish
Cook Children's Health Plan
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Driscoll Children's Health Plan
The following member handbook links are for Driscoll Children’s Health Plan members who live in these counties: Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Maverick, McMullen, Starr, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata.
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
The following member handbook links are for Driscoll Children’s Health Plan members who live in these counties: Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Calhoun, Goliad, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, and Victoria.
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Member Handbook Amendment: English/Spanish
El Paso First Premier Plan
Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
FirstCare STAR
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Molina Healthcare of Texas
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Parkland HEALTHfirst
Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
Right Care from Scott and White Health Plans
Member Handbooks: English/Spanish
Sendero Health Plans
Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
Seton Health Plan
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Superior HealthPlan
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Member Handbooks Medicaid Rural Service Area: English | Spanish
Texas Children's Health Plan
Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
STAR+PLUS
You can find the STAR+PLUS medical plans in your area by using the Find Your Medical Plan search tool.
Amerigroup
The following member handbook links are for Amerigroup members who have Medicaid but not Medicare:
English | Spanish
The following member handbook links are for Amerigroup members who have both Medicaid and Medicare:
English | Spanish
HealthSpring
The following member handbook links are for HealthSpring members who live in these counties: Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Maverick, McMullen, Starr, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata.
Member Handbooks: English/Spanish
The following member handbook links are for HealthSpring members who live in these counties: Denton, Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant, Wise.
Member Handbooks: English/Spanish
Molina Healthcare of Texas
Member Handbook: English | Spanish
Superior HealthPlan
Member Handbook: English | Spanish
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
STAR Health
Superior HealthPlan
Member Handbook: English | Spanish
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Medical Plans
Children in CHIP get services through a medical plan in their area. Some CHIP plans also offer services to mothers who are pregnant. This is called CHIP perinatal coverage.
You can find the CHIP medical plans in your area by using the Find Your Medical Plan search tool.
Aetna Better Health
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Amerigroup
CHIP Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
BlueCross and BlueShield of Texas
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
CHRISTUS Health Plan
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Community First Health Plans
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbook: English| Spanish
Community Health Choice
CHIP Member Handbook: English | Spanish
CHIP Perinatal Member Handbook: English | Spanish
Cook Children's Health Plan
CHIP Member Handbook: English | Spanish
CHIP Perinatal Member Handbook: English | Spanish
Driscoll Children's Health Plan
CHIP Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
El Paso First CHIP
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
FirstCare CHIP
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbook: English | Spanish
Molina Healthcare of Texas
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Parkland KIDSfirst
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
Sendero Health Plans
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
Seton Health Plan
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Superior HealthPlan
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English| Spanish
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Rural Service Area Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
Texas Children's Health Plan
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
CHIP and CHIP Perinatal Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
CHIP and Children’s Medicaid Dental Services
All children and teens with CHIP coverage get their dental services through a CHIP dental plan. Most children and teens with Medicaid coverage get their dental services through a Medicaid dental plan.
There are three dental plans to choose from.
Those with Medicaid who do not get their dental services through one of those three plans include:
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People with Medicaid age 21 and older.
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All people with Medicaid, regardless of their age, who live in facilities such as nursing homes, state supported living centers, or Intermediate Care Facilities for Mentally Retarded Persons (ICFs/MR).
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Children and young adults in the state’s foster care program who get their dental services through STAR Health.
CHIP Dental Plans
DentaQuest
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
MCNA Dental
Member Handbooks: English/Spanish
Children’s Medicaid Dental Plans
DentaQuest
Member Handbooks: English | Spanish
MCNA Dental
Member Handbooks: English/Spanish
