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STAR+PLUS Managed Care for Dual-Eligibles, Explained

STAR+PLUS is Texas's Medicaid managed care program for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, or who have a disability -- most Fort Worth-area seniors on Medicaid long-term-care services are enrolled in a STAR+PLUS plan.

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Home›State Rules›STAR+PLUS Managed Care for Dual-Eligibles, Explained
Short answer

STAR+PLUS is Texas's managed care program coordinating medical care and long-term services and supports for Medicare/Medicaid dual-eligible members and people with disabilities. It operates statewide, including throughout the Fort Worth metro.

Specific managed care organization plan options can vary slightly by county -- confirm which organizations currently operate in your county of residence at enrollment. No major restructuring is publicly announced for STAR+PLUS as of this writing, but plan lineups do change periodically.

Questions families ask

What's the difference between a Type A and Type B assisted living license in Fort Worth?

Type A facilities serve residents capable of following directions to evacuate on their own and who don't need routine overnight attendance. Type B facilities serve residents who need staff help to evacuate, can't follow emergency directions independently, or need nighttime staff attendance -- most memory care in the metro falls under Type B.

Do Fort Worth assisted living facilities have to disclose past violations to families?

Texas law does not require a facility to hand a prospective resident its inspection history unprompted, but that history is public and available through HHSC. Ask directly for a copy, or pull it yourself through HHSC's Complaint and Incident Intake line before you tour.

Does Texas Medicaid pay for assisted living in Fort Worth?

Texas Medicaid pays for care services inside a participating assisted living facility through the STAR+PLUS HCBS waiver, but it does not pay the facility's room-and-board charge -- that portion remains the resident's financial responsibility, typically funded from the resident's own income.

What's the difference between Texas's Medicaid expansion and Medicaid for seniors?

Texas has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, but that decision has no bearing on long-term-care Medicaid for seniors, which is a completely separate, decades-old eligibility pathway for people who are 65 or older, or blind or disabled.

How does a Fort Worth family apply for the STAR+PLUS HCBS waiver?

Apply through Your Texas Benefits online, or call Texas 2-1-1 and ask for the aging and disability services option. A Texas HHSC caseworker will complete a nursing-facility level-of-care assessment as part of determining eligibility.

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