Texas Medicaid managed care plans for seniors run through STAR+PLUS. Seven managed care organizations (MCOs) serve the program across 13 service delivery areas, and most areas give you two or three plans to choose from. Not every MCO serves every part of the state, so which plan you can pick depends on where you live. This guide covers who the seven MCOs are, how to find which ones serve your area, and what actually matters when you compare them.

In This Guide

What Is a Managed Care Plan?

Texas covers Medicaid for adults age 65 or older and adults who have disabilities through STAR+PLUS, its statewide managed care program for that group, rather than through the old fee-for-service system. Your MCO (managed care organization) is the health plan that coordinates and pays for your medical care. It sits between you and your doctors, arranging services and handling the bills.

STAR+PLUS covered services are defined by the state rather than by the individual plan, so the benefit package is broadly the same whichever MCO you pick. Texas HHS describes STAR+PLUS as covering regular checkups, medicine and vaccines, hospital care, x-rays and lab tests, vision and hearing care, access to medical specialists and mental health care, and nonemergency medical transportation, plus long-term services and supports (personal assistance services, Day Activity and Health Services, habilitation, emergency response) for members who qualify for them. The differences are in their provider networks, their customer service, and the extra "value-added" benefits they offer on top.

The Seven STAR+PLUS MCOs

Here is who runs STAR+PLUS under the contracts effective September 1, 2024:

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas. One of the three plans serving the largest number of STAR+PLUS service areas.

Molina Healthcare of Texas. Also among the three serving the largest number of service areas.

Superior HealthPlan. A long-standing Texas Medicaid MCO, and the third of the plans serving the largest number of service areas.

Wellpoint (formerly Amerigroup). Serves the Lubbock, Nueces, Jefferson, and Rural Service Area-West areas. Treat this smaller-footprint list as a starting point rather than the last word: the state's current "STAR+PLUS Health Plans by Service Areas" document is the authority on which plan serves which area, and the Jefferson listing in particular is worth confirming before you rely on it.

Community First Health Plans. A San Antonio regional plan, serving the Bexar service area only.

El Paso Health. A local plan serving the El Paso service area only.

Community Health Choice. A regional plan serving part of the state. Its exact service areas are not published in the state documents behind this guide, so confirm with the Enrollment Broker whether it is offered at your address.

Not sure which plan is right for your family? Chat with Brevy's care navigator to compare MCOs in your area.

Which Texas Medicaid Managed Care Plans Serve Your Area

Texas divides STAR+PLUS into 13 service delivery areas, and each member chooses from the two or three MCOs available in their area. Three MCOs serve the largest number of areas, while the other four have smaller footprints tied to specific areas:

MCO Where it serves
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Among the three serving the largest number of service areas
Molina Healthcare of Texas Among the three serving the largest number of service areas
Superior HealthPlan Among the three serving the largest number of service areas
Wellpoint (formerly Amerigroup) Lubbock, Nueces, Jefferson, and Rural Service Area-West
Community First Health Plans Bexar (San Antonio) only
El Paso Health El Paso only
Community Health Choice Regional; confirm your area with the Enrollment Broker

The exact plan lineup in each service area is set by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and can change, so confirm which MCOs are available at your address by calling the Texas Enrollment Broker at 1-800-964-2777 or checking the current HHS "STAR+PLUS Health Plans by Service Areas" list.

If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, note one recent change: Texas ended its STAR+PLUS Medicare-Medicaid Plan (MMP) dual demonstration on December 31, 2025, and the MCOs that ran those plans began offering aligned Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) on January 1, 2026 in Bexar, Dallas, El Paso, Harris, and Hidalgo counties.

How to Compare Texas Medicaid Managed Care Plans

Because the state defines the STAR+PLUS benefit package, the covered-services list is broadly the same from plan to plan, and the differences come down to networks, service, and extras. Compare your options in this order.

1
Step 1

Check whether your doctor is in-network

This is the factor that matters most. If your parent has a primary care doctor, specialist, or home health agency they trust, confirm that provider is in the MCO's network before choosing. Each health plan has its own list of providers, such as doctors and clinics, and Texas HHS tells members with questions about their care or their doctor to contact the plan directly, using the phone number and website listed on the health plan ID. Before you enroll you can also ask the provider's office which STAR+PLUS plans they accept.

2
Step 2

Compare value-added benefits

MCOs compete on extras beyond the covered services, and individual plans may offer value-added dental services or value-added vision and hearing services, such as an allowance toward upgraded frames, lenses, or contacts, or a second hearing aid at no cost for members age 21 and older. These extras differ from plan to plan and from one service area to the next, and they can change, so ask each MCO for its current list before you decide. Two bounds are worth knowing on the dental side: base Texas Medicaid adult dental coverage is limited, which is why the value-added versions matter, and for a member on the STAR+PLUS HCBS waiver the waiver's own dental benefit carries a $5,000 annual limit per individual service plan year and a plan may not require the member to use its value-added dental services first.

3
Step 3

Read the state's managed care report cards

HHSC publishes managed care report cards that compare MCOs on member satisfaction, access to care, and quality. Check the latest one before choosing.

4
Step 4

Ask about service coordinator responsiveness

Every STAR+PLUS member is assigned a service coordinator by their MCO. Service coordination covers developing the individual service plan (ISP) with the member, their family, and their providers, and authorizing the long-term services and supports. You do not have to guess at the floor: the state sets minimum contact requirements that vary by member type. Every member must be contacted on enrollment and at least once a year after that. A member who receives STAR+PLUS HCBS or who has a complex medical condition must be visited face to face at least twice a year. A member who receives other long-term services and supports, has a history of behavioral health issues or substance use disorder, or is dual eligible must be contacted at least once by phone and at least once face to face each year. A member living in a nursing facility must be met face to face at least four times a year, with exceptions for members in hospice care or living outside the MCO's service area. Use those minimums as your baseline, ask each plan how often a member like yours is actually contacted and visited, and ask other families in your area about their experience.

What Happens If You Don't Choose

If you do not pick an MCO when you enroll, HHSC assigns one for you. An active choice beats an automatic assignment: even a quick check of whether your current doctor is in-network puts you in a stronger position than a default plan.

How to Switch Your MCO

You are not locked into your plan.

You can also make the change by logging into Your Texas Benefits instead of calling. If your parent's doctor leaves the plan's network mid-year, that is a valid reason to switch, and continuity-of-care protections may let them keep seeing that doctor temporarily while the change processes.

Your Rights as a Member

Whichever MCO you choose, your plan's STAR+PLUS member handbook is where your rights are written out in full, so read it when it arrives and check anything below against your own plan's version. The rights it describes generally include the right to:

  • Choose and change your PCP. You pick your primary care provider and can change PCPs within your MCO at any time.
  • See a specialist. Your PCP can refer you to in-network specialists, and some specialists do not require a referral.
  • Get emergency care anywhere. Emergency rooms must treat you regardless of network status, with no prior authorization.
  • Get language help. Your MCO provides interpreter services and translated materials at no cost.
  • File a complaint or grievance with your MCO or directly with HHSC.
  • Appeal a denial. If your MCO denies, reduces, or ends a service, you can appeal and request a State Fair Hearing.

What to Do If You Have a Problem

Start with your MCO, then escalate to the state if the plan does not fix it.

File a Complaint with Your MCO

Every MCO has a grievance process. Call your health plan using the phone number listed on your health plan ID and ask to file a formal complaint. If the plan does not resolve it, you can take the complaint to HHSC.

Request a State Fair Hearing

If your MCO denies, reduces, or terminates a service, you have 60 calendar days from the date on the denial notice to file an internal appeal with the health plan, and the plan's standard resolution timeframe may be no longer than 30 calendar days from the day it receives your appeal. You can request the appeal orally or in writing, and the MCO must treat any oral or written expression of dissatisfaction as a request to appeal. If the MCO upholds its decision, you can then request a State Fair Hearing. Texas allows 120 days for actions taken by a managed care organization, measured from the MCO's notice of its appeal decision, and the HHSC hearings officer has 60 to 90 days from the appeal request date to issue a written decision. A hearing request can also be made by calling 2-1-1 or by visiting a local HHSC office, and hearings are typically conducted by conference call.

Watch the deadline for keeping services running. You can ask that your services continue at the current level while the appeal and hearing are pending, but you have to file for that continuation by the later of two dates: 10 calendar days after the MCO sends the notice, or the intended effective date of the change. It is not simply 10 days from the notice, so check both dates and use whichever falls later. One trade-off to know before you ask: if the final decision upholds the MCO, the plan may recover the cost of services it furnished while the appeal and hearing were pending. That exposure is bounded rather than open-ended. Under 42 CFR 431.230(b), recovery reaches only the services furnished solely by reason of the continuation, meaning the care that kept flowing because you asked for it, not every service you received during those months.

If your MCO does not resolve your issue, these Texas agencies can help.

Texas Enrollment Broker Helpline Choose or change your STAR+PLUS health plan. 1-800-964-2777
HHS Ombudsman Managed Care Helpline Problems getting care, or complaints about your managed care plan. 1-866-566-8989
2-1-1 Texas General Medicaid and health-and-human-services information and referrals. 211 211texas.org

You can also file a complaint online through the HHSC complaint form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Texas Medicaid health plan?

Yes. STAR+PLUS members can change MCOs at any time by calling the Texas Enrollment Broker at 1-800-964-2777. A change takes 15 to 45 days to take effect.

Do different Texas Medicaid plans cover different services?

The STAR+PLUS benefit package is set by the state rather than by the plan, so the covered-services list is broadly the same whichever MCO you choose. Texas HHS describes it as including checkups, medicine and vaccines, hospital care, x-rays and lab tests, vision and hearing care, specialists and mental health care, nonemergency medical transportation, and long-term services and supports for members who qualify. Where plans genuinely differ is in provider networks, customer service, and value-added extras, which vary by plan and by service area and can change.

What if my doctor doesn't accept my MCO?

You have two options: switch to an MCO that includes your doctor (call 1-800-964-2777), or ask your MCO about continuity-of-care provisions that may allow temporary out-of-network access. Each health plan keeps its own list of providers, so contact the plan (its phone number and website are on the health plan ID) to confirm whether your doctor is on it.

How many MCOs can I choose from?

It depends on your service area. Most areas offer two or three MCOs, and the exact lineup is set by HHSC, so confirm your options with the Enrollment Broker at 1-800-964-2777.

Next Steps

Once you know which MCOs serve your area, confirm your doctor is in-network, then choose or switch through the Enrollment Broker.

Your next step Call the Texas Enrollment Broker at 1-800-964-2777 to compare STAR+PLUS plans and choose or switch your MCO.

Learn More

MedicaidWhat Texas Medicaid CoversTexas Medicaid covered services for seniors 65+: doctor visits, hospital care, drugs, vision, limited dental. See what STAR+PLUS covers and what it won't. MedicaidTexas Medicaid Programs for SeniorsTexas Medicaid programs for seniors 65+ include STAR+PLUS, CAS, HCBS waivers, and PACE. Find out what each one covers, who qualifies, and how to enroll. MedicaidTexas STAR+PLUS HCBS WaiversTexas HCBS waiver programs help seniors stay home instead of a nursing facility. Learn how STAR+PLUS HCBS, CLASS, HCS, interest lists, and applying work. MedicaidHow to Apply for Texas MedicaidHow to apply for Medicaid in Texas in 2026: the four ways to apply, the documents seniors need, the income-cap trap, timelines, and where to get free help. MedicaidTexas STAR+PLUS Waiver ProgramTexas STAR+PLUS covers Medicaid managed care for seniors 65+. The HCBS income limit is $2,982/month, and 13,519 people sat on its interest list in July 2026. MedicaidTexas Medicare vs. MedicaidMedicare is federal health insurance by age 65; Texas Medicaid is income-based, with a $2,982 monthly limit in 2026. See how they differ and who qualifies.

Find personalized help comparing Texas Medicaid managed care plans at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.