Medicaid entitlement for 54 - FY 2026 - T21

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded the Health & Human Services Commission of Texas $1.047 billion on October 1, 2025, under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CFDA 93.767) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. This is a Medicaid entitlement block grant providing federal funding to Texas to maintain and expand child health assistance to uninsured, low-income children and, at state option, low-income pregnant women.

The Health & Human Services Commission administers the award through its Federal Funds Office Division and passes funds to 24 sub-recipients across Texas delivering the 211 Texas Information Referral Network, a statewide phone and internet-based referral system connecting Texans with health and human services providers. Sub-recipients include United Way entities in Greater Houston, San Antonio and Bexar County, Central Texas, Abilene, and Smith County; regional councils of governments including Texoma, Middle Rio Grande Development Council, South Plains Association of Governments, Heart of Texas, Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission, Golden Crescent, Deep East Texas, and Concho Valley; community action organizations and councils including Community Council of Greater Dallas and Community Council of the Rio Grande Valley; the City of El Paso; and Hopkins County Community Action Network.

The block grant assistance type provides states with capped federal funding to operate health coverage programs for eligible populations. CHIP is a federal-state matching program in which states have the option to operate a separate CHIP program, expand eligibility for children under their state Medicaid program, or operate a combination of both approaches. Performance occurs statewide across Texas.