How Medicaid Is Run in Texas
Texas administers Medicaid through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, known as HHSC. The agency writes the eligibility rules, pays providers and contracts with private health plans that deliver most care. Federal law sets the outer limits, but Texas decides many details, so advice from friends in other states often does not apply here.
Two features shape the system. Texas has not adopted the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion, so a healthy adult without children usually cannot qualify on low income alone. Also, most Texans on Medicaid receive care through managed care. After approval you choose a health plan, and that plan's network decides which doctors and hospitals you can see.
Coverage generally goes to defined groups:
- Children and teens in low-income households
- Pregnant women, including coverage after the birth
- Parents and caretaker relatives with very low income
- Adults 65 and older and people with disabilities who meet income and resource limits
- Residents of nursing facilities and people enrolled in home- and community-based waiver programs
- Young adults who aged out of foster care
The main managed care programs appear by name on letters and member cards. STAR covers most children, pregnant women and families. STAR+PLUS serves adults who are 65 or older or have disabilities. STAR Kids serves children and young adults with disabilities, and STAR Health serves children in foster care. The Children's Health Insurance Program, CHIP, is a separate program under the same agency. It covers children in families that earn too much for Medicaid but still cannot afford private insurance.
Where to Apply and What Local Offices Actually Do
Most Texans apply online at YourTexasBenefits.com, by calling 2-1-1 and choosing the state benefits option, or by mailing or faxing a paper application. In-person help still exists, but it is not what it was a generation ago. HHSC has moved much of its eligibility work to online accounts and call centers. A storefront labelled as a Medicaid office may be an HHSC benefits office, an enrollment helper or a related health-services site. Call ahead to confirm hours and which services are offered before you drive across town.
Federal rules give states up to 45 days to decide most applications, and longer when the decision depends on a disability determination. During that time HHSC may mail a request for more proof. Answer by the date printed on the notice. A missed deadline is a frequent reason applications are denied, even when the person would have qualified.
Medicaid Office Locations in Texas by Region
Our database lists offices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Central Texas, the Brazos Valley and East Texas. The addresses and phone numbers below come from those listings. Confirm them by phone, because office hours and services change.
Fort Worth and Tarrant County
Fort Worth has the most listings of any Texas city in the directory. The Fort Worth Texas Medicaid Office is at 4200 South Freeway, phone 817-927-2834. A second listing, Fort Worth TX Medicaid Office, is at 4733 East Lancaster Avenue, phone 817-536-3353. Both are in Tarrant County. Because they sit in different parts of the city, you can pick the one closer to home or work. If you rely on the bus, check the route before you go and allow extra time.
Dallas County: Duncanville and Mesquite
Two Dallas County listings serve the suburbs rather than downtown Dallas. The Duncanville Texas Medicaid Office is at 1467 Acton Avenue, phone 972-709-8075. The Mesquite Texas Medicaid Office is at 6500 Northwest Drive, phone 972-681-9778. Duncanville sits in the southwest part of the county and Mesquite in the east. Someone living in Dallas proper may find one of these easier to reach than they expect, especially by car.
Austin, Waco, Tyler and Smaller Cities
In Central Texas, the Austin Texas Medicaid Office is at 724 Eberhart Lane, phone 512-445-0022, in Travis County. Farther north along Interstate 35, the Waco Texas Medicaid Office is at 6801 Sanger Avenue, phone 254-776-4141. In East Texas, the Tyler Texas Medicaid Office is at 3374 South Southwest Loop 323, phone 903-593-4644. Bryan has an office at 3000 East Villa Maria Road, phone 979-776-1510. Smaller-city listings include Cleburne at 204 Kimberly Drive, phone 817-558-9990, and Stephenville at 2175 West South Loop, phone 254-965-3138.
Big Metros and Small Towns: How Access Differs Across Texas
Texas has 254 counties, more than any other state, and the distance between them shapes how people get help. In Fort Worth, Mesquite or Austin, you may have several offices within a short drive, frequent bus service and a deep list of doctors in each health plan. In places like Stephenville or Cleburne, one office may serve a wide area, and the next nearest may be an hour away.
That gap matters most for people without a car. For those residents, the online account and the phone line are often the practical route, and a trip to an office should be saved for problems that really need a person. Libraries in many Texas towns offer free computers and printing, which helps when you need to upload a pay stub or scan a notice.
Provider supply also varies. Metro areas have large hospital systems and many specialists, while rural counties may have few doctors who accept new Medicaid patients. Telehealth visits, which Texas Medicaid covers for many services, can fill part of that gap. If you have no other way to reach an appointment, Medicaid also runs a Medical Transportation Program for covered visits. Ask your health plan or HHSC how to book a ride, and do it several days ahead.
Language access is another everyday issue in a state with a large Spanish-speaking population. HHSC provides free interpreters by phone, and you can ask for one at any office. You do not need to bring a relative to translate.
What to Bring and How to Prepare for a Texas Medicaid Visit
A short, organized visit saves you a second trip. Bring a government-issued photo ID and Social Security numbers for everyone applying. Add proof of citizenship or immigration status for each applicant, and proof of Texas residency such as a lease or utility bill. Income proof matters most: recent pay stubs, a benefits award letter or a tax return if you are self-employed. For applicants who are 65 or older or have a disability, add bank statements and any documents about other resources.
Keep copies of everything you hand in, and write down the date and the name of the person who helped you. After approval, read each piece of mail from HHSC. Report changes in income, address or household size promptly. Most coverage must be renewed on a set schedule, and a renewal form sent to an old address can end coverage without you ever seeing it.
Medicaid in Texas is administered by the state health and human services agency, providing health coverage for eligible low-income residents through a combination of fee-for-service and managed care delivery systems tailored to the state's population needs.
Medicaid Office locations are available in 9 cities across Texas. They are spread across 8 counties.
Cities with the highest concentration include Fort Worth, Mesquite, Waco, which have the largest Medicaid caseloads in the state and dedicated eligibility offices to serve high-need urban populations.
Residents of Texas can apply for Medicaid online through the state's health benefits portal or health exchange, by calling the Medicaid agency's toll-free number, or by visiting a local eligibility office with the required documentation.
Austin Texas Medicaid Office
Bryan Texas Medicaid Office
Cleburne Texas Medicaid Office
Duncanville Texas Medicaid Office
Fort Worth Texas Medicaid Office
Fort Worth Texas Medicaid Office
Fort Worth Texas Medicaid Office
Fort Worth Tx Medicaid Office
Mesquite Texas Medicaid Office
Stephenville Texas Medicaid Office
Tyler Texas Medicaid Office
Waco Texas Medicaid Office
Residents of Texas who currently receive Medicaid should complete their annual renewal on time to avoid a gap in coverage. Most states send renewal notices by mail and email, and online renewal is typically the fastest method to maintain uninterrupted healthcare coverage.
Browse Medicaid Office by county across Texas to find the nearest location.
Medicaid Help Beyond the Dallas-Fort Worth Area
Outside the Metroplex, our database points to several regional hubs. Bryan's office at 3000 East Villa Maria Road, phone 979-776-1510, is in Brazos County, home to Bryan-College Station and Texas A&M University. Families from smaller surrounding communities often travel to this area for services because it is the largest population center in the Brazos Valley.
Tyler's office at 3374 South Southwest Loop 323, phone 903-593-4644, is in Smith County. Tyler is a regional hub for hospitals and specialists in East Texas, so people from nearby towns often come here for care and paperwork alike. Waco's office at 6801 Sanger Avenue, phone 254-776-4141, is in McLennan County, along the Interstate 35 corridor between Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin.
Cleburne and Stephenville are smaller markets. Cleburne's listing is in Johnson County, and Stephenville's is in Erath County. In towns this size, phone lines can be busy at midday, so early morning calls often get through faster. When you call any office, ask four things: the current hours, whether walk-ins are accepted, which documents to bring, and whether an interpreter is available. Write the answers down before you leave the house.