Texas Benefits: SNAP, TANF, Medicaid Eligibility and How to Apply

Texas Health and Human Services runs three major public assistance programs through a single application: SNAP for groceries, TANF for cash help to families with children, and Medicaid or CHIP for health coverage. If you want to know how to apply for Texas SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid benefits, the short version is this: fill out Form H1010, the Texas Works Application for Assistance, and submit it online at YourTexasBenefits.com, by mail, by fax, or in person at a local HHSC office. One form covers all three programs. The rest of what matters is figuring out which ones you qualify for and getting your documents in order before you start.

SNAP Food Benefits

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program loads monthly funds onto a Lone Star Card that works like a debit card at grocery stores and most food retailers.1Texas Health and Human Services. Lone Star Card A single person can receive up to $298 per month, and a family of four up to $994.2Texas Health and Human Services. SNAP Food Benefits Most households get less than the maximum because the benefit falls as income rises.

Texas sets the gross income ceiling at 165% of the federal poverty level and the net income ceiling, after allowed deductions for shelter, dependent care, and similar expenses, at 100% of FPL.3Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – B-470, Categorically Eligible Households For 2026, 100% of FPL is $15,960 a year for one person and $33,000 for a family of four.4HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines There is also a combined resource limit of $5,000 for liquid assets and excess vehicle value, and one vehicle per household is generally excluded.5Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – A-1220, Limits

TANF Cash Assistance

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families pays small monthly amounts to families with children. For a family of three, the maximum is $382 when one parent or caretaker is in the home, $418 for two-parent households, and $263 for child-only cases where no adult is included.6Texas Health and Human Services. TANF Cash Help Texas imposes a 60-month lifetime limit on TANF cash. Hardship extensions exist for specific situations, such as a verified disability lasting more than 180 days or being a domestic violence victim, but are capped at an additional 24 months.7Cornell Law Institute. Texas Administrative Code 1-372.455 – Continuing Eligibility Beyond the 60-Month Lifetime TANF Cash Limit

Medicaid and CHIP Health Coverage

Medicaid covers doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, and other medical care. Texas has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, so eligibility for low-income adults is tight.8Medicaid. Texas State Profile Adults without disabilities qualify only if income falls below roughly 12% of the federal poverty level, about $273 a month for a family of three. Children qualify at much higher income levels, generally up to 133% of FPL.9Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – C-130, Medical Programs

The Children’s Health Insurance Program covers uninsured children and teens up to age 19 in households with income at or below 201% of FPL. CHIP includes dental care and regular checkups. Annual enrollment fees run $50 or less per family, and copays range from $3 to $5 for lower-income families up to $20 to $35 for higher-income families.10Texas Health and Human Services. CHIP

Residency, Citizenship, and Social Security Numbers

You must be a Texas resident. Residency is self-declared, meaning that listing a Texas address and intending to make Texas your home satisfies the rule, and a permanent dwelling is not required.11Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – D-710, General Policy

Applicants must generally be U.S. citizens or qualified non-citizens. Certain categories, including refugees, asylees, people granted deportation withholding, and Cuban or Haitian entrants, qualify from the date they enter the country.12Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – A-340, Qualified Alien Status Eligibility Charts HHSC gives the household 10 days to verify citizenship for each applying member; a person who misses that deadline without good cause is disqualified until proof arrives.13Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – A-350, Verification Requirements

Every applicant must provide a Social Security number or apply for one through the Social Security Administration before the case can be certified. Exceptions exist for undocumented individuals applying for emergency Medicaid, newborns (who have up to six months), and people with qualifying religious objections. Non-applying household members do not need to supply one.14Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – A-410, General Policy

Documents to Gather Before You Apply

Having your paperwork ready before you start the application prevents the single most common cause of delay.

  • Photo identification for the primary applicant: a driver’s license, state ID card, or similar.
  • Proof of your Texas address, such as a recent utility bill or signed lease.
  • Income documents: pay stubs, award letters from other benefit programs, or records of self-employment earnings. HHSC will not accept income verification dated more than 60 days before the interview.15Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – A-1370, Verification Requirements
  • Social Security cards or SSN documentation for every applying household member.
  • Records of housing costs, childcare, and medical bills for elderly or disabled household members. These expenses can increase your benefit amount through deductions, so leaving them out costs money.

How to Apply

The application is Form H1010, the Texas Works Application for Assistance.16Texas Health and Human Services. Form H1010, Texas Works Application for Assistance – Your Texas Benefits One submission covers SNAP, TANF, and health care programs. You can file it four ways:

Online is the fastest route. It issues a confirmation number right away and keeps your case status in the same account. Keep copies of everything you submit, no matter which channel you use.

What Happens After You Apply

HHSC must approve or deny a regular SNAP case within 30 days of the filing date.18Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – SNAP Timeliness Charts for Applications and All Redeterminations During that window a caseworker will call you for an interview to verify what’s on the application. If anything is missing, you’ll get a request with a deadline. Missing that deadline is one of the fastest ways to end up denied even when you qualify.

Households in an immediate food crisis may qualify for expedited SNAP, which delivers benefits within seven days. Eligibility turns on very low income relative to housing costs, or very low liquid assets. The Your Texas Benefits portal screens for expedited status automatically, so the practical move is to apply as quickly as you can and let the system flag your case.19Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – A-140, Expedited Service

Keeping Your Benefits After Approval

Report any change in household circumstances within 10 days once your case is active. That covers changes in income, address, or the number of people in the home.20Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Reporting Changes to Your Case – Form H1019-F Failing to report can produce overpayments that HHSC will later demand back. The Your Texas Benefits app and website both let you submit change reports and upload proof.

Benefits don’t continue indefinitely. SNAP certification periods run from three to twelve months, most often six.21Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – A-2320, Eligibility Dates and Benefit Amounts HHSC sends a renewal form before each period ends; miss the deadline and your benefits lapse, forcing you to reapply from scratch.

Two work rules catch people by surprise. For SNAP, adults 18 to 64 who are able to work and have no dependents under 14 (classified as able-bodied adults without dependents) are limited to three months of SNAP in a three-year period unless they complete at least 80 hours per month of work, job training, volunteering, or a combination.22Texas Health and Human Services. SNAP Work Rules For TANF, adults must participate in the Choices program run by the Texas Workforce Commission, with weekly hour requirements that depend on household composition and whether you receive program child care.23Texas Workforce Commission. Choices – Services Failing to participate without a good reason can end both TANF cash and adult Medicaid coverage.

If You Are Denied

If HHSC denies your application or cuts your benefits, you have 90 days from the effective date of the action to request a fair hearing.24Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – B-1020, Time Period for Requesting Fair Hearing You can request one verbally, in writing, or by checking the box on your notice.25Texas Health and Human Services. Appeals and Fair Hearings

If you were already getting benefits and want them to continue during the appeal, you must file within 13 days of the adverse action notice. Hit that window and your benefits stay at the previous level until a hearings officer decides.26Texas Health and Human Services. Texas Works Handbook – B-1050, Handling of Benefits During the Appeal Process Miss the 13 days and you can still appeal within 90, but your benefits drop or stop while the case is pending. If you lose and benefits continued during the appeal, HHSC may require you to repay the difference.