Medicaid does not renew itself. Every 12 months, Texas checks whether you still qualify — and if the paperwork does not get done, coverage ends, even for people who still qualify. The good news: renewing is free, there are six ways to do it, and even if your coverage already ended, you may have a 90-day window to fix it without starting over. Here is how it works, step by step.
How you will know it is time to renew
First, the state tries to renew you automatically, using information it already has. If that works, you will get a notice saying your coverage was renewed — you do not have to do anything unless something in that notice is wrong.
If the state cannot renew you on its own, it sends you a renewal form, already filled in with the information it has. Watch for it in two places:
- Your mailbox: Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) sends a letter when it is time to renew. Requests for information come in a yellow envelope marked “ACTION REQUIRED” in red ink. Treat that envelope as urgent — it is.
- Your Your Texas Benefits account: log in at YourTexasBenefits.com, open your case details, and look for “Yes” in the Time to Renew column. The Your Texas Benefits phone app also sends alerts when it is time to renew.
6 ways to renew your Texas Medicaid
Use whichever is easiest for you. You never have to renew in person, and the state cannot require an in-person interview for a renewal.
- Online: log in to YourTexasBenefits.com, open your case, and complete and sign the renewal electronically.
- Phone app: use the Your Texas Benefits app to manage your case, upload documents, and get renewal alerts.
- By phone: call 2-1-1, pick your language, then press option 2 (from another phone, 1-877-541-7905). You can also call 2-1-1 to have a paper form mailed to you.
- By mail: fill in the paper form and send it back in the prepaid envelope in your packet, or mail it to Texas Health and Human Services, P.O. Box 149024, Austin, TX 78714-9024.
- By fax: fax your completed form to 1-877-447-2839.
- In person: take your form to a local HHSC benefits office or a community partner if you want face-to-face help.
The deadline that matters
Your renewal packet carries its own due date, and the state must give you at least 30 days to respond. Your coverage runs through the end of your 12-month period. If you respond on time, your coverage continues while HHSC finishes reviewing — so the single most important step is to respond, even if you are still gathering a document. If the renewal is not completed, coverage ends when the 12-month period ends.
If your Medicaid already ended, read this first
A lot of coverage ends for a simple reason: a form or a document never arrived. If that is what happened to you, federal rules give you a save:
- You have 90 days after the date your coverage ended to send in the renewal form or the missing information.
- If you send it within those 90 days, HHSC must reconsider it as a renewal — you do not have to file a brand-new application.
- The clock runs from the day coverage ended, not from the day you found out — so act as soon as you learn coverage stopped.
Past the 90 days? You can still reapply for Medicaid at any time, the same ways listed above. And losing Medicaid or CHIP opens a special window at HealthCare.gov: you have 90 days after the date coverage ended to pick a Marketplace plan, so you are not left without coverage while things get sorted out. If you believe a decision was wrong, you can also ask for a fair hearing — generally within 90 days of the action.
Do not let your renewal mail go to the wrong address
The most common reason people lose coverage at renewal is painfully simple: they moved, and the packet went to an old address. Take two minutes to make sure HHSC has your current address and phone number:
- Update your information at YourTexasBenefits.com or in the Your Texas Benefits app.
- Or report the change by calling 2-1-1 (option 2), by mail, by fax, or at a local benefits office.
- In your account, you can also choose electronic notices, so renewal alerts come to your phone instead of a mailbox.
CHIP renewals work the same way
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage also runs in 12-month periods and must be renewed to continue. The same steps apply — automatic renewal first, a form if the state needs more information, at least 30 days to respond, and the same 90-day window if coverage ends because paperwork was missing. One difference: some families pay a CHIP enrollment fee when they renew, based on income. Watch your CHIP packet for the amount and the payment deadline, because coverage depends on it.
Not sure what health coverage you qualify for?
Medicaid and CHIP are only two of the programs our free checker reviews — it also looks at SNAP food help, the health insurance Marketplace, Medicare savings, utility help, childcare help and more.
Rather have us do the legwork? Apply for Me is our free service — tell us your situation once and we send you a personal guide to your matches.
Related guides
- How to apply for Medicaid in Texas
- CHIP: children’s health insurance in Texas
- Health insurance open enrollment in San Antonio
Helpful links & phone numbers
- Your Texas Benefits (renew, apply, update your address): yourtexasbenefits.com
- Renew or get help by phone: dial 2-1-1, then choose option 2, or call 1-877-541-7905
- Fax your renewal form: 1-877-447-2839
- Mail your renewal form: Texas Health and Human Services, P.O. Box 149024, Austin, TX 78714-9024
- Marketplace coverage after losing Medicaid or CHIP: HealthCare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods
- Where the rules come from: Texas Health and Human Services, Questions About Your Benefits, and the federal Medicaid renewal rule, 42 CFR 435.916.
This page explains the renewal rules in plain language. Your own due dates are the ones printed on your HHSC packet — always follow those first.
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