Hidalgo Service Area STAR and STAR+PLUS Expansion
Announcements
Technical Assistance Forums: HHSC will conduct technical assistance meetings in Laredo on July 18 and 19. HHSC staff will discuss the Medicaid managed care expansion with STAR and STAR+PLUS providers in the Hidalgo Service Area. HHSC staff and representatives from the Medicaid managed care organizations will be available to offer information, provide technical assistance and answer questions.
Counties in the Hidalgo service area include: Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Maverick, McMullen, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata.
Pre-registration is not required to attend.
| Acute Care Provider Technical Forum |
Long Term Services and Supports Provider Technical Forum |
| Wednesday, July 18, 2012 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Texas A&M International University 5201 University Blvd. Student Center – Downstairs Rotunda Laredo |
Thursday, July 19, 2012 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Texas A&M International University 5201 University Blvd. Student Center – Downstairs Rotunda Laredo |
Inquiries may be sent via email to managedcare_exp2012@hhsc.state.tx.us.
Notice: On Feb. 17, 2012, HHSC issued an advisory to long-term services and supports (LTSS) providers related to authorization and billing issues under Section 8.2.1 of the STAR+PLUS Expansion Contract (Continuity of Care and Out-Of-Network Providers). [View advisory (DOC)]
Claims testing: Claims testing opportunities are available for contracted STAR+PLUS Long-term Services and Supports providers in the Hidalgo, El Paso, and Lubbock service areas before the March 1 Medicaid managed care expansion. More about claims testing.
Overview
Starting March 1, 2012, the STAR and STAR+PLUS programs will provide managed care health services for people who have Medicaid in these counties in the Hidalgo Service Area: Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Maverick, McMullen, Starr, Webb, Willacy, and Zapata.
About the STAR program
STAR provides health care for:
- Children and families with low-income.
- Pregnant women.
- Families who have Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
About the STAR+PLUS program
Medicaid clients must enroll in STAR+PLUS if they meet one or more of the following:
- Have SSI and are age 21 or older.
- Get Community Based Alternative (CBA) services.
- Get Medicaid through Social Security exclusion programs.
Children age 20 and younger with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may choose between STAR+PLUS and traditional Medicaid.
People who have both Medicaid and Medicare will:
- Continue to get health care from their Medicare doctors.
- Continue to get medications through Medicare.
- Get long-term services and supports from STAR+PLUS.
The following will continue to get Medicaid services the same way they do now:
- People who live in an institution—such as a nursing home, Intermediate
- Care Facility for Persons with Mental Retardation (ICF-MR) or state school.
- People who get home and community-based services through a
- Medicaid waiver other than the CBA program.
- Children in state foster care.
Community Outreach Meeting Calendar
Client Resource Materials
- STAR enrollment packet
- STAR+PLUS enrollment packet for clients with Medicaid only
- STAR+PLUS enrollment packet for clients with Medicaid only and long-term services and supports
- STAR+PLUS enrollment packet for clients with Medicaid and Medicare
- STAR+PLUS enrollment packet for clients with Medicaid and Medicare and long-term services and supports
- STAR Introduction Letters and Frequently Asked Questions (English and Spanish)
- STAR+PLUS Introduction Letter and Frequently Asked Questions (English and Spanish)
- STAR+PLUS Introduction Letter and Frequently Asked Questions for people who have Medicaid and Medicare (English and Spanish)
- STAR+PLUS Voluntary Introduction Letter and Frequently Asked Questions (English and Spanish)
- STAR+PLUS Voluntary Introduction Letter and Frequently Asked Questions for people who have Medicaid and Medicare (English and Spanish)









