No insurance doesn’t have to mean no care. This 2027 guide covers the free and low-cost health care available to San Antonio and Bexar County residents: free Texas Medicaid coverage for those who qualify, low-cost CHIP coverage for kids, and the City’s public health clinics plus sliding-scale community clinics where care can be free or nearly free based on your income. Each entry includes who qualifies and the fastest way to apply. Want a personalized shortlist? Our free Apply for Me program will match you to the right programs.
2027 figures: Medicaid/CHIP income guidelines change periodically — the figures below are the most recently published on hhs.texas.gov; confirm current numbers when you apply. Nothing else on this page has year-specific amounts.
| Texas Medicaid (Texas HHSC) | FREE health coverage for qualifying low-income Texans: children, pregnant women, parents with very low income, seniors 65+, people with disabilities, and former foster youth up to 26. Most working-age adults without children don’t qualify in Texas. Apply any time of year. | 2-1-1 or 1-877-541-7905 | Apply |
| Texas CHIP — Children’s Health Insurance Program | Low-cost coverage for kids 18 and under whose families earn too much for Medicaid. Enrollment costs $50 or less per family per year; copays run $3–$35. Covers checkups, dental, prescriptions, vaccines, hospital care, vision, hearing, and mental health. | 2-1-1 | Apply |
| San Antonio Metro Health — Public Health Services | The City’s public health department: immunization clinics, STI/HIV services, WIC, and maternal/child health for San Antonio and unincorporated Bexar County. Many services are free or low-cost. | 210-207-8780 | Apply |
| Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) | Community clinics that charge on a sliding fee scale based on income — care can be FREE or nearly free if you’re low-income. Primary care, dental, behavioral health, and prescriptions. San Antonio networks include CentroMed and CommuniCare. Call ahead; most take walk-ins for urgent needs. | Find one: call 2-1-1 | Call the clinic or 2-1-1 |
All programs at a glance
- Free coverage: Texas Medicaid — YourTexasBenefits.com or 2-1-1 (kids, pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities, very-low-income parents).
- Kids’ coverage: CHIP — $50 or less per year per family, copays $3–$35 — 2-1-1.
- No insurance, need care now: FQHCs (sliding-scale, can be free) — CentroMed, CommuniCare, or call 2-1-1 for the nearest.
- City services: Metro Health immunizations, STI/HIV, WIC, maternal/child health — 210-207-8780.
- Stuck: Free application help from San Antonio Food Bank navigators — 210-431-8326.
Not sure where to start?
Answer a few questions in our free Apply for Me program and we’ll send you a personalized guide to Medicaid, CHIP, free clinics, and prescription help — with step-by-step instructions for each.
