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STAR

Medicaid

Not all STAR plans are alike. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan provides standard benefits under the STAR program for children, families, pregnant women and single adults who qualify based on income. We also offer additional services called Value Added Services (VAS). View the list below to see what STAR includes.

Language and Interpreter Services

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan has staff that speaks English and Spanish. If you speak another language or are hearing impaired and need help, call Member Services at 1-888-887-9003  or TTY 711 for hearing impaired.

If you need materials in audio, Braille, larger print and in other languages at your request. Please call 1-888-887-9003 for help.

  • Check eligibility (opens modal window)
  • STAR Steps to enroll

Need help finding a provider or setting up a visit?

Call Member services at 1-888-887-9003, TTY 7-1-1, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. or email memberservices_uhccp@uhc.com to get help finding a provider or setting up a visit.

Benefits & features

Well and sick care

Get the assistance you need to stay healthy — or to get better if you are injured or sick. And pregnant moms get extra support to keep you and your baby healthy. That includes:

  • Hospital Care. You pay nothing for care in a hospital.
  • Lab and X-rays. Lab tests, x-rays and diagnostic imaging are covered.
  • Transportation. We pay for rides to and from medical visits or pharmacy.
  • Well Visits. Annual checkups can help keep you healthy.

Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of you and your baby. That’s why our STAR plan benefits include:

  • Choice of Doctor. Find a doctor you trust in our network.
  • Choose a Birth Center. Deliver at your choice of hundreds of hospitals across Texas.
  • Prenatal Visits. Care for you before your baby is born.
  • Healthy First Steps®. Get extra support and rewards to keep you and your baby healthy.

If you have asthma, diabetes or another long-term condition, you can depend on us. Our STAR Plan makes sure you get the care and services you need. Benefits include:

  • Case Management. Personal support from an experienced professional.
  • Asthma support. Individual care to help you control asthma or COPD.
  • Mental Health. Counseling and other treatments are available.

Get the medical equipment and supplies you need to live safely at home. Benefits include:

  • Equipment and supplies. In-home medical and safety equipment are covered.

Sometimes you might need a little extra help using your health plan. For those times, you can rely on:

  • Transportation. We offer rides to and from medical visits or the pharmacy.
  • Interpreters. An interpreter can go with you to medical visits.
  • Language help. Translated medical materials are available at no cost.
  • Member services. Your benefit questions are answered 24/7.

Read about all the extras your child could get as a STAR member: 

  • Exercise kit. Includes one pedometer, one pack of resistance bands, and one water bottle for members who want to become more active. 
  • Online Mental Health resources. Access articles, videos, and other resources at LiveandWorkWell.com    
  • Healthy First Steps®. Pregnant members who enroll in Healthy First Steps Babyscripts will receive access to free educational content, resources, and rewards for going to prenatal and postpartum visits.
  • Extra benefits. Sports and school physicals offered at no cost. 
  • Nurse hotline. Medical questions and situations come at inconvenient times. When you have questions about your child's health, you can call a trained nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Vision care. Your child will get the care, eyeglasses and treatment to see life more clearly. Coverage includes $105 each year toward frames or contact lenses.
  • Wellhop for mom & baby. Connect with other expectant moms. Get support and information during your pregnancy and after you deliver. This program is part of your health plan and there is no extra cost to you.

Learn more about Value-added Services English | Español

Individual care to help you control asthma or COPD symptoms.

Do you have trouble managing asthma or COPD symptoms? A nurse who specializes in breathing issues can really help. You’ll get a customized treatment plan and medicine to:

  • Manage flare-ups.
  • Reduce symptoms.
  • Help you stay active.

Case Management

Do you or a loved one have a serious health problem or a high-risk pregnancy? If so, our case managers are in your corner. They will:

  • Explain medical terms in plain language.
  • Coordinate your doctor appointments.
  • Provide your care team with your medical records.

Your case manager will stay with you on your medical journey. He or she will:

  • Think beyond your medical needs.
  • Make sure you have support at home.

So you can focus on getting better.

Choice of doctor

You or your child gets a primary care physician (PCP) who is your main doctor. Use the Doctor Lookup tool to see if your doctor is in our network.

If you don't have a doctor or if your doctor is not in our network, we can help you find a new one close to you. 

Your PCP is your main doctor for:

  • Preventive care.
  • Treatment if you are sick or injured.
  • Referrals to specialists for certain conditions.

Choose a birth center

Where to deliver your child is an important choice. That's why you can pick from hundreds of hospitals across Texas.

We encourage you to tour the hospital's birthing center. This way you will be familiar with it. And you’ll be more relaxed when you deliver your baby.

Dental care

Most children and young adults age 20 and younger with Medicaid or CHIP coverage get dental services through a managed care dental plan. The dental plans listed below provide services across the state for all Medicaid and CHIP members who qualify for dental coverage.

  • DentaQuest
  • UnitedHealthcare Dental
  • MCNA Dental

Equipment and supplies

Your health and safety at home are important.

Our plan covers medical equipment ordered by your doctor or case manager. This includes:

  • Hospital bed.
  • Oxygen tank.
  • Walker or wheelchair.

Healthy First Steps®

Build a healthy future for you and your baby and earn great rewards with Healthy First Steps. Our program will help you take the right steps to keep you and your baby healthy. Plus you can earn $20 just for signing up. 

We will help you:

  • Choose a pregnancy provider and a pediatrician (child’s doctor).
  • Schedule visits and exams and arrange rides to your visits.
  • Earn rewards for going to visits throughout your pregnancy and baby’s first 15 months of life.
  • Get supplies, including breast pumps for nursing moms.
  • Connect with community resources such as Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services.

Hospitalization

This plan pays for all expenses related to a hospital stay, so you can rest and heal.

This includes:

  • Nursing care.
  • Room and board.
  • Supplies and equipment.
  • Treatment and therapies.
  • Diagnostic tests and exams.

And after you leave the hospital, you are not alone. We make sure you get follow-up care to continue healing at home.

Interpreters

Your doctor and you need to understand each other. Not speaking English well makes this difficult. We can arrange for a medical interpreter to be at your appointment.

We have people at our phone centers that speak more than one language. A service lets us connects with others that speak hundreds of languages.

Language help

You can ask to receive information in another language. Then anything we write to you will only be in that language. This is provided at no cost to you.

Medicines

We make getting your medicine easy.

There are no copays for covered drugs. You can fill your prescriptions at:

  • Local pharmacies.
  • Services that deliver routinely right to your door.

We also cover over-the-counter medicines with a written order from your doctor.

Member services

Sometimes you might need a little help understanding your health care options. With us, you have someone you can call 24/7. We'll answer your questions simply and completely.

We can also help you find:

  • Home care providers.
  • Dentists and vision providers.
  • Adult Day Health Centers.

Mental Health

Mental health is as important as physical health. That's why we have the same coverage for both.

Required care is 100% covered with no copay. This includes:

  • Behavioral therapy.
  • Substance abuse treatment.
  • Medications.

No copays

You pay nothing for covered services.

While your health care is low-cost or free, the care quality is high. You get: 

  • Care from highly skilled and compassionate doctors.
  • Treatments at respected hospitals and clinics.
  • Home medical equipment and supplies to help you be at your best. 

Prenatal visits

Your pregnancy is a journey you'll want to make with the help of friends, family and a pregnancy doctor, or OB-GYN.

All recommended prenatal clinical visits and tests are covered by our plan.

At these visits, the clinic will:

  • Make sure both you and your baby are healthy.
  • Explain what to expect at each stage of your pregnancy.
  • Answer your questions.

Transportation

Whether you live in the city or in the country, rides are available. Our plan provides round trips to and from plan locations. This includes trips to and from the pharmacy to fill your prescriptions.

Vaccines and immunizations

All of the immunizations your child needs are covered.

Vision care

Routine vision services to care for your child’s needs.

Member resources

Member resources (opens modal window)

Enrollment information

The Texas STAR plan specialists can answer questions and help you enroll.

Call us:
1-888-887-9003 / TTY: 711

8:00 am to 8:00 pm local time, Monday – Friday

Steps to enroll
Get the details

Visit the Texas CHIP & Medicaid site for more information on eligibility and enrollment.

Texas CHIP & Medicaid.

Member information

Already a member? You have access to our member-only website. Print ID cards, chat with a nurse online, and more.

Member information is available in paper form, at no cost, upon request, and sent by the health plan within five business days.

Member website

At UnitedHealthcare we want to make sure you can access all the benefits your plan provides.

If you’ve had a change in your health status and your doctor determines you need a wheelchair, your plan is here for you.

To make sure you get the equipment you need with the coverage you have, follow these simple steps.

You may need a wheelchair evaluation referral from a healthcare provider in your plan’s network for wheelchairs with special features.

Next a Durable Medical Equipment or DME vendor in your health plan network is located.

In many cases, your healthcare provider can help locate an in-network provider and send the referral.

If the health care provider does not complete this step we can help you find an in-network provider and schedule an appointment.

It is important to understand what your insurance does and does not cover, so that you don’t have unexpected expenses.

And we can help you with that.

Once the referral has been sent to the identified provider the evaluation will be performed by a physical therapist, an occupational therapist or a physiatrist who specializes in determining proper seating and positioning.

This evaluation may take place in your home or in the DME provider’s office.

If the assessment takes place at the provider office, be sure to bring your wheelchair with you if you have one.

During the visit you may be asked to provide additional information including your health status and risk factors, transportation needs, and information on your home environment (if the assessment does not take place in your home).

Wheelchairs may take anywhere from 60 to 90 calendar days to be delivered.

Factors such as supply chain issues and availability of parts may cause additional delay.

Your DME provider can assist you with a loaner chair during the waiting period if needed.

When your new wheelchair is delivered be sure to sit in it to ensure proper fit and adjustments.

And even if you have experience with wheelchairs do take the time for the vendor to provide instructions on the use of the chair and its features, care and maintenance.

If any equipment you are requesting is not a covered benefit you may be asked to pay out of pocket for the equipment.

The vendor should provide you with a clear explanation of why it is not part of your benefits.

Generally, a wheelchair should last at least five years, although growing children may need a new chair more often.

If you already use a wheelchair and it’s damaged and unable to be repaired you may also be eligible for a new wheelchair.

Over time your insurance and DME providers may change.

So, be sure and keep all the information about the chair, the DME provider, the coverage and any documentation on any repairs or changes made.

Remember, if you have any questions or need more information visit myuhc.com/CommunityPlan or call member services at the number on the back of your member ID card.