Texas Consumer Assistance
Texas no longer operates a federally-funded Consumer Assistance Program under the Affordable Care Act. The new consumer protections and benefits of the law still apply to you, however.
The agencies listed below can help you take advantage of some of these new protections and benefits and they can answer your questions about different types of coverage.
If you need health insurance, be sure to check out HealthCare.gov’s Plan Finder. It will help you find and compare health care coverage options in your area.
If you have questions about insurance you bought for yourself and/or your family or you have insurance provided by an employer who does business only in Texas, contact:
Texas Department of Insurance
333 Guadalupe
Austin, TX 78701
(800) 578-4677
http://www.tdi.texas.gov/index.html
If you have a hard time affording health coverage and you have questions about eligibility or current Medicaid benefits, go to:
Texas Medicaid Program
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Brown-Heatly Building
4900 N. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751
(800) 252-8263
TTY: (888) 425-6889
http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/medicaid/
If you are not eligible for Medicaid, your child may still be eligible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. For questions about eligibility or benefits, go to:
Texas Children’s Medicaid (CHIP)
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Brown-Heatly Building
4900 N. Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751-2316
(877) 543-7669
(800) 647-6558
TTY: (888) 425-66889
http://chipmedicaid.org/en
http://www.chipmedicaid.org/en/Apply-Now
If you have a question, complaint, or dispute regarding insurance you get through a “self-insured” employer (typically a large company or one with locations in multiple states or countries), go to:
U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration
Dallas Regional Office
525 South Griffin Street, Room 900
Dallas, TX 75202
(972) 850-4500
(866) 444-EBSA (3272)
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/
If you are on Medicare and have a question, or if you have a disability or end stage renal disease and want to enroll or find out if you are eligible for Medicare, contact:
Health Information Counseling & Advocacy Program of Texas
Texas Department of Insurance
333 Guadalupe
Austin, TX 78701
(800) 252-9240
ConsumerProtection@tdi.state.tx.us
http://www.tdi.texas.gov/consumer/hicap/hicaphme.html
http://www.dads.state.tx.us/services/index.cfm
If you have been denied health insurance by private insurance companies because of a pre-existing condition, you may be eligible for a Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP), go to:
PCIP
National Finance Center
Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
P.O. Box 60017
New Orleans, LA 70160
(866) 717-5826
https://www.pcip.gov/Default.html
If you are a veteran and have a question or concern about veterans’ health care benefits, go to:
US Department of Veterans Affairs
(877) 222-VETS (8387)
http://www1.va.gov/health/
If you have questions about your health insurance that are not covered by the above resources, call the Health Insurance Assistance Team of the U.S. Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at (888) 393-2789.