How to apply for Medicaid / CHIP health coverage in Texas

Medicaid in Texas: 2026 Eligibility and How to Apply

Texas Medicaid does not use the broad ACA adult expansion route. Use Your Texas Benefits and ask HHSC to check the actual category for each person, including children, pregnancy, disability or a qualifying parent or caretaker.

Who qualifies for Medicaid in Texas

Low income alone does not establish adult eligibility. Ask the agency to check the relevant coverage category:

• Children, through Medicaid or CHIP, with age-specific state income rules.
• Pregnant women, at higher income limits.
• People with disabilities and older adults, under separate rules.
• Parents and caretaker relatives, only if they meet the state’s separate income and relationship rules. Having a child is not approval.

Adults who don't fit these groups may fall into the coverage gap. If that's you, check the ACA Marketplace — though subsidies can be limited below the poverty line.

A child’s Medicaid does not automatically cover the parent

Texas HHSC’s parent-and-caretaker category requires a qualifying relationship to a child who receives Medicaid, lives with the applicant and meets the category’s age rules. The adult must also meet the separate income and other conditions. Being a parent alone is not an eligibility decision.

For the child, request a separate Medicaid or CHIP review. For an older person or someone with a disability, ask about the relevant adult disability or aged category. Do not compare these cases with an ACA 138% expansion figure, because Texas has not adopted that adult route.

After approval, the program name matters. STAR is a Medicaid managed-care program for eligible children, pregnant people and families; choosing a health plan is a step after eligibility, not a substitute for applying through HHSC.

State sources: Texas HHSC: parents and caretakers · Texas HHSC: Medicaid and CHIP programs · Texas HHSC: STAR · Checked September 8, 2026.

2026 Medicaid income limits in Texas

Texas does not use the ACA 138% adult expansion standard. A parent or caretaker must meet the rules for that specific category, including its own income limit. A child receiving Medicaid does not automatically make an adult eligible.

Use the Texas HHSC parent/caretaker page to check the required relationship, the child’s circumstances, family size, and the current income table. For children, pregnancy, disability, or older age, ask HHSC to check those categories separately.

Source: Texas HHSC: Medicaid for Parents and Caretakers · Checked September 8, 2026.

How to apply for Medicaid in Texas

1. Start with Your Texas Benefits. Use Your Texas Benefits, reached from the HHSC programs page, to apply for Medicaid or CHIP.
2. Request a review for each applicant. Identify the children and adults seeking coverage. If applying as a parent or related caretaker, provide the relationship and child information HHSC requests. Mention pregnancy, disability, Medicare or long-term care needs.
3. Follow the HHSC notice. Save your application record, provide requested proof by the date given, and read the eligibility decision before selecting any health plan it asks you to choose.

Application instructions: Texas HHSC: Medicaid and CHIP programs · Checked September 8, 2026.

Common questions

Eligibility guidance reviewed September 8, 2026. Sources and reference periods are shown above. Confirm current category rules with the agency before applying.