Find a doctor that takes Medicaid in Texas
Summary: Finding a Texas primary-care doctor who takes your Texas Medicaid plan and is accepting new patients usually takes a round of phone calls — directories are frequently outdated, with a federal study finding about 35% of "accepting new patients" listings wrong when called.
Step by step
- Confirm your Texas Medicaid plan name and member ID (Superior HealthPlan, Amerigroup (Wellpoint), Texas Children’s Health Plan and others operate in Texas).
- Pull a shortlist from an official source: your plan’s in-network provider search or the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)’s directory at https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com.
- Use the directory’s filters (specialty: primary care / family medicine, and a "new patients" indicator).
- Call each office to confirm they take your plan AND are accepting new patients.
- Ask about the next available new-patient appointment and book it.
Medicaid in Texas: who runs it
Texas’s program is Texas Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids and STAR+PLUS managed care), run by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). The member line is 1-800-964-2777 (Texas Medicaid client hotline), and the official plan and provider directory is at https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com.
Plans you’ll see in Texas
Offices credential with specific plans, so "do you take Medicaid" is the wrong question — ask about your plan by name:
- Superior HealthPlan
- Amerigroup (Wellpoint)
- Texas Children’s Health Plan
- Molina Healthcare of Texas
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
- Community Health Choice
Texas-specific things to know
- Texas Medicaid dental for members under 21 runs through a separate dental plan; adults over 21 generally only have emergency dental coverage.
- Texas managed care is regional — a plan that operates in Houston may not in El Paso — so directories filter by service area first.
- YourTexasBenefits.com and the Texas Medicaid client hotline can confirm which STAR plan and dental plan you are in.
- Texas has not expanded Medicaid, so most adult members are parents, pregnant women or people with disabilities; renewal churn is high.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Relying on a directory that hasn’t been updated.
- Not confirming new-patient availability before traveling to an appointment.
Let Karen make the calls
Karen calls down the list for you and reports back what it found — you just pick.
If Karen needs a detail she doesn’t have, or someone asks to verify your identity, she’ll add you to the call for a quick warm handoff so you can take over.
Have Karen make the call20 free minutes to start · then from 5.5¢/minute · no subscription
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a primary care doctor that takes Medicaid in Texas?
Start from your plan’s in-network directory or the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) (https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com), filter for primary care, then call each office to confirm they take your specific Texas Medicaid plan and are accepting new patients.
Why do I have to call if the directory says they accept Medicaid?
Because the listings are often out of date — a federal study found roughly 35% of providers shown as "accepting new patients" weren’t when contacted. A quick call saves a wasted trip.
How do I check my Texas Medicaid plan?
Log in at yourtexasbenefits.com or call the Texas Medicaid client hotline at 1-800-964-2777.
Can Karen make these calls?
Yes. Karen works down a list of Texas practices, confirms plan acceptance and new-patient availability, and tells you which ones to book.
Related guides
- Find a doctor that takes Medicaid in Florida
- Find a doctor that takes Medicaid in New York
- Find a doctor that takes Medicaid in California
- Find a doctor that takes Medicaid in Illinois
- Find a doctor that takes Medicaid in Georgia
- Find a doctor that takes Medicaid in Pennsylvania
- Find a doctor that takes Medicaid in Ohio