Same workflow, different roles. Here’s what each audience tends to need first — and the contacts to know when something goes sideways.
Family caregivers
• Start with the eligibility check. Have the applicant’s SSN, income amounts, and a recent bank statement nearby.
• Run the conversation aloud — most seniors find the spoken questions easier than reading the H1200.
• File Form H1200-A to formally become the authorized representative. Without it, HHSC won’t talk to you.
• Save bank statements as full PDFs. Pictures of single pages get rejected.
Long-term care facilities
• Confirm the resident will be physically present for 30 consecutive days before Medicaid will pay.
• The facility physician should complete Form H3037 within 14 days of admission — listing 3+ ADLs explicitly.
• Establish the Miller Trust account before the first month’s billing cycle closes.
• Provide a printed copy of the resident’s monthly billing statement to support the QIT disbursements.
The keywords doctors must use
On Form H3037, vague language is the #1 cause of medical-necessity denials. Doctors should document specifically:
Mobility — “Requires two-person assist for bed-to-chair transfers.”
Hygiene — “Hands-on assist for bathing and dressing.”
Medication — “Unable to self-administer; requires nurse-administered meds.”
Cognition — “Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s; requires 24-hour supervision for safety.”
Key Texas contacts
Texas HHSC Benefits Helpline
Apply, check status, replace forms
2-1-1 (option 2)
Your Texas Benefits
Online H1200 portal
yourtexasbenefits.com
Texas Legal Services Center
Free elder-law help for low-income Texans
1-800-622-2520
Area Agencies on Aging
Local in-person help
1-800-252-9240
A quick word about what this app is not
Texas Silver Guard is an educational co-pilot. It mirrors the published 2026 Texas HHSC rules for the Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities (MEPD) program. For complex estates — second marriages, business ownership, significant real-estate holdings, or active transfers within the look-back — please work with a Texas-licensed elder-law attorney. We’ll help you arrive prepared.