How to get healthcare in Houston without insurance

Free, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for children in lower-income Texas families. Once enrolled, your child has full coverage at thousands of doctors, dentists, hospitals, and pharmacies statewide with no copays. Renew when HHSC sends a renewal letter.

Apply online at YourTexasBenefits.com. The application takes about 45 minutes and most families get a decision within 30 days. You apply once and the state automatically checks whether your child qualifies for Medicaid or CHIP, so there's no need to figure that out yourself.

Even if you think you earn too much to qualify, apply anyway. Income limits in Texas are higher than most people expect, and there's no penalty for being denied.

Free comprehensive coverage for pregnant Texas women including prenatal visits, labor and delivery, hospital stay, and a full 12 months of postpartum care. Coverage starts as soon as you're approved and continues through pregnancy plus a year after delivery.

Once approved, you'll be assigned to a managed care organization that helps you find an OB-GYN, schedule prenatal visits, and access mental health support if needed. Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com or by calling 1-877-541-7905.

The 12-month postpartum extension is relatively new. Texas previously only covered 60 days after delivery. If you delivered recently and were dropped from Medicaid after 60 days, you may be able to be re-enrolled.

Prenatal care, labor and delivery, and 12 months of postpartum coverage for pregnant women who don't qualify for Medicaid. The most important thing to know: CHIP Perinatal covers women regardless of immigration status. If you're undocumented or have a complicated immigration situation and you're pregnant, this is your option.

Coverage is provided through a managed care organization and includes prenatal vitamins, ultrasounds, standard prenatal visits, hospital delivery, and postnatal checkups. No enrollment fee and no copays.

Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com. Same application as Medicaid and CHIP.

Texas Medicaid has limited adult eligibility because Texas did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Working-age adults without kids and without a disability typically do not qualify, regardless of income. This is what's known as the Texas 'coverage gap' and it affects millions of Texans.

You may qualify for Texas Medicaid if you're a parent or caretaker of a child who has Medicaid (income limits are very low), pregnant, considered disabled by the Social Security Administration, or 65+ with limited income and assets. Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com to find out for sure.

If denied, you'll be redirected to the ACA marketplace where you may qualify for premium subsidies, often making coverage much more affordable than people expect.

Low-cost health coverage for children in Texas families that earn too much for Medicaid but can't afford private insurance. Annual enrollment fee is $0 to $50 per family depending on income, plus small copays for office visits and prescriptions: $3 to $5 for lower-income families and $20 to $35 for higher-income families.

CHIP covers all the same services as Medicaid: doctor visits, hospital stays, immunizations, dental, vision, and mental health. The provider network is comparable.

Same application as Medicaid at YourTexasBenefits.com. You apply once and the system places your child in whichever program they qualify for. Renewal happens every 12 months.

Free women's preventive and reproductive care for eligible Texas women ages 18 to 44 (and 15 to 17 with parental consent). Covers annual exams, birth control, STI testing and treatment, breast and cervical cancer screenings, blood pressure checks, cholesterol screening, diabetes screening, and postpartum depression screening.

It is not full medical coverage, and it does not cover pregnancy itself or general primary care for issues unrelated to reproductive health. But it covers a lot of what women need on an ongoing basis.

Apply online at HealthyTexasWomen.org. If approved, you can see any provider in the Healthy Texas Women network. Many community clinics in Houston accept it.

A nutrition program providing a monthly food package plus a fruit and vegetable cash benefit, breastfeeding support, nutrition counseling, and referrals to other services for pregnant women, postpartum women, infants, and children under 5.

WIC is not health insurance. It's a supplemental program that helps families afford healthy food during a critical period. Benefits are loaded onto an EBT card you swipe at most major Texas grocery stores.

Apply at your local WIC clinic. First visits typically take 1 to 2 hours. You'll need proof of income, proof of identity, proof of address, and bring the child(ren) being enrolled. You do not need to be on Medicaid to qualify.

Free preventive checkups for children and teens enrolled in Texas Medicaid, from birth through age 20. Includes routine medical checkups (more frequent for younger kids), dental checkups starting at 6 months, vision screening, hearing screening, immunizations, behavioral health screening, and lab work as needed.

These visits cost nothing if your child is on Medicaid. Texas requires the program for all Medicaid-enrolled kids as part of the federal EPSDT mandate.

Most Texas Medicaid plans have a list of approved Texas Health Steps providers. Call 1-877-THSTEPS to find one near you, or ask your child's pediatrician if they participate.

Free medical care at school-based clinics on HISD and Aldine ISD campuses, plus virtual care through Hazel Health. Memorial Hermann operates roughly 10 fixed school clinics and 3 mobile dental units across the greater Houston area.

Services include sick visits, immunizations, sports and school physicals, mental health counseling, dental cleanings, and chronic disease management for enrolled students. No insurance required.

Hazel Health provides free virtual visits (medical and mental health) for HISD and Aldine ISD students at school or at home. Parents can request a video visit during the school day or after hours. The Nimitz Health Center serves Aldine ISD students specifically and has been operating since 2014.

Free or low-cost vaccines for children, teens, and adults at Houston Health Department locations across the city. Call 832-393-5427 to schedule an appointment at a location near you. Required school vaccines, catch-up doses for kids behind schedule, and adult vaccines including flu, COVID-19, Tdap, shingles, and HPV.

They serve everyone regardless of insurance, immigration status, or ability to pay. If you have insurance, bring your card and they may bill it. No one is denied for inability to pay.

The only Houston clinic dedicated exclusively to people experiencing homelessness. Provides primary care, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy services, podiatry, vision, TB and STI testing, plus a Street Medicine program that goes directly to encampments and shelter locations.

Services are completely free. They never charge patients and never bill for services. Nine service sites across Harris County, including dedicated clinics at the Star of Hope and Salvation Army shelters.

Walk-ins accepted. You do not need a permanent address, government ID, or insurance to be seen. They help patients establish those things as part of care.

The federal health insurance marketplace where Texas residents buy individual and family health plans. Most enrollees qualify for premium tax credits that significantly reduce monthly costs.

Plans cover doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, mental health, preventive care, and maternity. Open Enrollment runs annually from November 1 to January 15. Outside that window, you can only enroll if you've had a Qualifying Life Event in the past 60 days.

Apply at Healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596. Most people complete enrollment in 30 to 60 minutes. Texas has dozens of free, certified enrollment helpers (called 'Navigators') if you want in-person guidance.

Federal health insurance for people 65 and older, plus certain people with disabilities or end-stage renal disease. Medicare is not free. Part A (hospital) is typically free if you've worked enough quarters, but Part B (medical) has a monthly premium that's usually deducted from your Social Security check. Part D (prescriptions) requires separate enrollment and has its own premium.

You'll need to choose between Original Medicare (A + B + a Part D plan and often a Medigap supplement) and Medicare Advantage (Part C, which bundles everything through a private insurer with different trade-offs).

The choice is high-stakes and confusing. Texas HICAP provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling to seniors and caregivers. They are not insurance sales people. They will not try to sell you anything. Call 1-800-252-9240 or visit tdi.texas.gov/consumer/hicap to find a counselor in your area.

Comprehensive medical care for US military veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Costs depend on your eligibility category. Many veterans receive most or all services free; others pay copays based on income and service-connected disability rating.

Covers primary care, mental health (priority access for combat veterans), specialty care, surgeries, prescriptions through VA pharmacies, hearing aids, eye care, and prosthetics. Houston has the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center plus multiple community-based outpatient clinics across the metro area.

You must enroll to receive VA care. Apply online at va.gov/health-care/apply, by phone (1-877-222-8387), or in person at any VA facility. Once enrolled, an income change generally affects your priority group and copays, not your enrollment status.

A free statewide referral service operated by Texas HHSC that connects you to local resources for healthcare, food, housing, child care, utility assistance, mental health crisis support, and disaster recovery.

Call 2-1-1 (or 1-877-541-7905) and speak with a trained navigator who will ask about your situation and search a database of thousands of programs to find what you qualify for. They can also help you apply, schedule appointments, or transfer you directly to other services.

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in English and Spanish, with phone interpretation available for additional languages. If you feel overwhelmed by all the options on this page or don't know where to start, this is the right call to make first.