If your kids are uninsured because coverage through work costs too much — or you earn a little too much for Medicaid — Texas CHIP was built for exactly your family. The Children’s Health Insurance Program covers kids under 19 with doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, hospital care and more, for an enrollment fee of $0 to $50 per family per year. And here is the part San Antonio parents miss: you apply once, on one free application, and the state checks your child for Children’s Medicaid first (which is completely free) and then CHIP. You cannot apply for the “wrong” one.
Who qualifies for CHIP in Texas
- Your child is under 19.
- Your child lives in Texas.
- Your child is a U.S. citizen or qualifying immigrant. A parent’s own citizenship or immigration status does not affect the child’s eligibility — the child’s status is what counts.
- Your family income is above the Children’s Medicaid limit but at or below 201% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four in 2026, that is about $66,330 a year (about $5,528 a month).
- Your child is not covered by other health insurance.
Exact income limits vary by family size and the child’s age for Medicaid, so the only sure way to know is to apply — applying is free, and the state sorts out Medicaid vs. CHIP for you.
If you also have younger children at home, or you are expecting a baby, two related guides can help: free WIC in San Antonio covers food support for pregnant moms and kids under 5, and our guide to free prenatal care through CHIP Perinatal explains coverage during pregnancy.
What CHIP covers
- Regular checkups with a doctor and dentist
- Prescriptions and vaccines
- Hospital care and services
- X-rays and lab tests
- Vision and hearing care, including glasses
- Specialists and mental health care
- Treatment for special health needs and pre-existing conditions — covered from day one, with no exclusions
What CHIP costs (honest numbers)
- Children’s Medicaid: free — no fees, no copays.
- CHIP enrollment fee, per family per year (not per child): $0 if family income is at or below 151% of the poverty level; $35 above 151% up to 186%; $50 above 186% up to 201%.
- CHIP copays for things like doctor visits, prescriptions and emergency care: about $3–$5 for lower-income families and $20–$35 for higher-income families.
- Federal rule: a family’s total CHIP costs in a year can never exceed 5% of household income.
- Coverage lasts 12 months, then you renew — watch your mail for the renewal packet and respond on time.
How to apply from San Antonio (free, 4 ways)
- Online at YourTexasBenefits.com — apply, upload documents, and check your case.
- By phone: call 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905, choose your language, then Option 2 — an HHSC worker helps you apply and mails forms to sign.
- In person at a Texas HHSC benefits office — 2-1-1 can give you the closest San Antonio office.
- By mail or fax with the paper application from YourTexasBenefits.com.
Gather these first: Social Security numbers for the children applying, proof of income from the last 30 days (pay stubs), proof you live in Texas (a lease or utility bill), and proof of the child’s citizenship or immigration status. HHSC can take up to 45 days to decide; answer any letter asking for documents right away so the case does not stall.
After approval, you get an enrollment packet: pick a health plan and a dental plan offered in Bexar County, choose your child’s main doctor and dentist, and pay the enrollment fee if your packet includes a payment coupon.
If child care costs are also stretching your budget while you work or study, see how child care scholarships in San Antonio can help pay for day care.
Not sure what your family qualifies for?
CHIP is one of dozens of programs San Antonio families qualify for without knowing it. Our free Apply for Me service reviews your situation and shows you your potential matches — programs you may qualify for. It is free and never promises approval: the agency for each program decides, and we do not submit government applications or complete government paperwork for you.
♥ NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
San Antonio Benefits is a small local project, not a government agency. Reader gifts keep these guides free for everyone. If this guide helped your family, you can donate here. Gifts are not tax-deductible.
Helpful links & phone numbers
- Texas HHS — Medicaid & CHIP (official program page): https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/health/medicaid-chip
- YourTexasBenefits.com: https://www.yourtexasbenefits.com — apply online and manage your case
- CHIP / Insure Kids Now helpline: 1-877-543-7669 — questions about children’s coverage and how to apply
- 2-1-1 Texas: dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905, Option 2 — apply by phone, check an application, find an HHSC office
- HealthCare.gov: https://www.healthcare.gov — if your child does not qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, check Marketplace coverage and savings
Frequently asked questions
Is CHIP free?
Children’s Medicaid is free. CHIP itself is low-cost, not always free: $0–$50 per family per year depending on income, plus small copays ($3–$35). Families at the lowest CHIP income tier pay no enrollment fee.
We earn too much for Medicaid. Can our kids still get CHIP?
Yes — that is exactly who CHIP is for: families above the Medicaid limit up to 201% of the federal poverty level, about $66,330 a year for a family of four in 2026.
I’m not a U.S. citizen. Can my child get CHIP?
A parent’s status does not decide the child’s case. The child must be a U.S. citizen or qualifying immigrant, and Texas does not make lawfully residing immigrant children wait five years.
How long does CHIP coverage last?
12 months of continuous coverage. Renew before it ends — HHSC sends renewal paperwork, and you can renew at YourTexasBenefits.com or by phone.
No child in San Antonio should skip a checkup or a filling because money is tight. One free application checks both Medicaid and CHIP — and worst case, you spent a few minutes to find out.
Free food, free rides, free clothes, free furniture and more — all in one place.
