Medicaid is a federal health coverage plan for low-income children, adults, pregnant women and people with disabilities. You must meet eligibility requirements to enroll in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP is only for children of families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.

You may enroll in Medicaid and CHIP any time during the year. Learn about coverage options on our website.

Importance of Health Coverage

There are many types of health coverage under the umbrella of Medicaid. Having the right health coverage for yourself and your family is important to stay healthy. 

Health coverage helps you pay for preventive care, treatment, prescriptions and specialty care. Without health coverage, paying out of pocket for care or medications can be expensive.

Medicaid in Texas 

As of July 2023, just over 5.5 million Texans are enrolled in CHIP or Medicaid. That’s nearly 1 in 5 people (17%).

As of 2022, Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the country. About 5.2 million Texans are uninsured – nearly 1 million of them are children. About 18% of San Antonio residents are covered by Medicaid.

According to Texas Health and Human Services, just over half of all births in Texas are covered by Medicaid.

Apply for Medicaid

Applying for health coverage with Medicaid or CHIP can be challenging. University Health wants to help make the process easier. You can contact a CareLink representative at 210-358-3350 or CareLink@uhtx.com for help with your application.

You can also learn more on the Your Texas Benefits website.