Providence Health Center 

DePaul Center

Providence Home Care

Providence Park 

   Providence Foundation

       Providence Health Alliance 

           Introducing the
       TexCare Partnership

Texas is investing in the health of our children through a new children’s health insurance campaign called TexCare Partnership. Its purpose is to provide health insurance for children at a price that fits the budgets of Texas families.

In McLennan County, there are 12,698 children without health insurance. Uninsured children lack access to basic and preventative health services. 

Children with health insurance have the benefits of regular checkups and doctor’s office visits when sick; shots and immunizations; eye exams and glasses; prescription drugs and medical supplies; hospital care and services; care by medical specialists; x-rays and lab tests; dental care and mental health care.

Health Insurance for Every Child in Texas

TexCare Partnership offers three separate health insurance programs to cover children from birth through age 18. The health insurance programs are Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid, Texas Healthy Kids Corporation (THKC). Each program offers health insurance for children depending on their family’s size and income.

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) covers children from birth through age 18 who do not qualify for Medicaid. Families may pay as little as $15 per year or as much as $18 per month for all children in the family. In addition, co-payments for office visits and prescriptions are based on the family’s income and will cost from $2 to $10 per visit or prescription. Open enrollment for CHIP began Monday, April 3, 2000 and coverage began May 1, 2000.

Medicaid covers children from birth through age 18 from families with low incomes. If your child qualifies for Medicaid, you do not have to make co-payments for doctors or prescriptions and you do not have to pay monthly premium costs. There are no deductibles to pay. To qualify for Medicaid in Texas, you must meet certain income and asset requirements, which are based on the ages of your children. Contrary to popular belief, Medicaid coverage is no longer tied to welfare. It is health insurance, not welfare. Most children with Medicaid coverage live with working parents.

Texas Healthy Kids Corporation (THKC) is a nonprofit corporation created by the Texas Legislature to make affordable health insurance available to uninsured children. There are no restrictions based on income about who can qualify for Texas Healthy Kids Corporation. Families who earn too much to quality for Medicaid or CHIP may still enroll for insurance through the Texas Healthy Kids Corporation. Texas Healthy Kids covers children ages 2 through 17 who have been uninsured for at least 90 days, are enrolled in school and who have been a resident of Texas for at least six months. For residents of McLennan County, the monthly fee is 61.34 per child per month. Co-payments for doctor visits and prescriptions cost from $5 to $10.

One of the features of the TexCare Partnership is the easy application process. Parents can call 1-800-647-6558 and complete the application over the phone. The phone lines are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, except federal holidays. Or parents can go to www.texcarepartnership.com on the Internet and download the application. Families in McLennan County can receive application and assistance locally by calling the Kids’ Health Campaign at (254) 752-5619. Kids’ Health Campaign is housed at the McLennan County Youth Collaboration and is supported by Community Health Action Partners, an alliance of the leading health providers in McLennan County.