The Gold Card
To apply for the Gold Card, you must print and fill out the application found here
To apply, you will need
- A photo I.D., such as a drivers license or passport
- Proof of residency within the last 60 days, such as a utility bill or a check stub
- Proof of income over the last 30 days, such as a check stub or a statement of support
- Either birth certificates or school documents of any children in your care at the time: if you qualify for a program, so do they!
- If you have immigration documents (current or expired), current health insurance information, or a Medicare Asset form, you should include those in your application.
Once you have printed the application and filled it out, and then included the information above with your application, all you need to do is mail or drop the paperwork off at an eligibility center. You will get a letter in the mail letting you know if you qualify. A list of eligibility centers in Harris County is right here:
Baytown Eligibility Center: (281-427 6757) 1602 Garth Road, Baytown, TX 77520 Southwest Eligibility Center: (713 995 3500) 6654 Hornwood, Houston TX 77074 Acres Home Eligibility Center: (281 447 6002) 8111 Lawn, Houston, TX 77088 South Loop Eligibility Center: (713 643 3691) 5959 Long Drive, Houston TX 77087 Strawberry Eligibility Center: (713 740 8180) 925 Shaw Rd, Pasadena, TX 77506CHIP
The CHIP application can be found here
You will need
- The income amounts for the entire household
- Social security numbers and birth dates for the children applying for CHIP
- Day care and work transportation expenses (if any)
- Private health insurance information (if any)
If you intend on applying for both CHIP and Medicaid, you should start an account on the Medicaid website- the link is posted below. Because both are federal programs, you can apply for them together.
Medicaid
The Medicaid application is right here
This website will have you fill out some personal information and make an account; from there, you can apply for Medicaid, keep track of what benefits you will receive, and see any changes that are going on in your state’s medical program. If you want to try to find your own cheaper private insurance, or if you would also like to apply for food stamps or TANF, this website can help you do that.
For this one, you will need
- A photo I.D., such as a drivers license or passport
- Your immigration status
- The income amounts for the entire household
- Social security number and supplemental security income/pension information
- Child support that you have received/paid, birth certificates for any children in the household, and proof of the children’s’ citizenship and residency with you
- Current health care information
- Current medical costs