Welcome to Aetna Better Health of Texas

At Aetna Better Health of Texas, we believe in improving every life we touch as good stewards to those we serve.

For Members:

Welcome to Aetna Better Health of Texas!  If you are eligible for Medicaid, we can help. We offer these program services: - The Medicaid (STAR and STAR Kids) programs - The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP/CHIP Perinate). Aetna Better Health has proudly served the people of Texas for more than ten years. You’ll feel comfortable knowing that thousands of Texans get health care benefits through our plans.

When you join in Aetna Better Health of Texas, you can:
-  Choose your own doctor, close to home
-  Call to speak to a nurse anytime, 24/7
-  Get extra benefits  – special programs to meet your health care goals 

To join in Aetna Better Health of Texas, please call your enrollment broker. 1-800-964-2777 (Medicaid or CHIP) or 1-877-782-6440 (STAR Kids) (TTY/Hearing impaired: 7-1-1). Monday – Friday 8:00am – 6:00pm, after hours or weekends – Leave a voice message, your call will be returned next business day. Enrollment Broker Helpline can answer your questions about Medicaid, STAR Kids, and CHIP benefits, help with finding or choosing a doctor, provide information about Texas Health Steps checkups, assist the member with scheduling Texas Health Steps appointments and solve problems in getting health care services.

Member Services:

To learn more about Aetna Better Health of Texas, or how to access all covered services, call Member Services: Monday - Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For assistance after hours and weekends, you can contact our Nurse Line, or you can leave a voice message, your call will be returned on the next business day.  Call 911 or go the nearest hospital/emergency room if you think need emergency care.


Medicaid STAR 1-800-248-7767 (Bexar), 1-800-306-8612 (Tarrant) CHIP or CHIP Perinate 1-866-818-0959 (Bexar), 1-800-245-5380 (Tarrant)
Or for STAR Kids members:  24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Medicaid STAR Kids 1-844-STRKIDS (1-844-787-5437)
For members who are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-735-2989.

If you need a qualified interpreter English/Spanish, written information in other formats, translation or other services, call the number on your ID card or 1-800-385-4104

You can call the nurse line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. English/Spanish/interpreter services are available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. 

Information on how to replace a lost or stolen Member ID card:

If your ID Card gets lost/stolen, please call Member Services at the phone numbers above or login to the Member Web Portal (Member Login) and get a new ID card mailed to you.

You can also ask for the Member Handbook in audio, other languages, Braille or larger print. If you need an audiocassette or CD, we will mail it to you.

An emergency is when you have a very serious injury or illness. You may be hurt badly, or bleeding heavily. You might be feeling very bad pain or feeling very, very sick. If you don’t get help, you may have permanent damage to a body part or you could even die.

Go to the nearest hospital or call 911 right away when:

  • You are afraid you may be dying
  • You are badly hurt
  • You have very bad chest pains
  • You may be poisoned
  • You may have taken an overdose of medicine
  • You are choking or having problems breathing
  • You may have a broken bone
  • You have diarrhea or vomiting that won’t stop
  • You are bleeding heavily
  • You  are badly burned
  • You fainted
  • You suddenly can’t move (paralysis)
  • You are a victim of a violent attack (rape, mugging, stab or gunshot wound)
  • You have thoughts of causing harm to yourself or others
  • You are about to deliver a baby

For many illnesses, you don’t need to go to the emergency room.  If you have a cold, a cough or a rash, you can call your doctor. It’s the same if you have small cuts or bruises. You don’t need to go to the hospital.  If you’re unsure, you can call our nurse line. The nurse can help you decide if you need to go to the emergency room.

Nurse line - you can talk to a nurse when you have health questions. You can call the nurse line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You can call the nurse line at:
Medicaid STAR 1-800-248-7767 (Bexar), 1-800-306-8612 (Tarrant) STAR Kids 1-844 STRKIDS (1-844-787-5437) CHIP or CHIP Perinate  1-866-818-0959 (Bexar), 1-800-245-5380 (Tarrant)
TTY/TDD - 1-800-735-2989 
If you have an emergency, please call 911.
For members who are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-735-2989.

If you feel that you can wait to seek care, you can call your primary care provider.

Aetna complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. Aetna does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.
Aetna:

  • Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:
    • Qualified sign language interpreters
    • Written information in other formats (large print,  paper, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats) at no cost.
  • Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:
    • Qualified interpreters
    • Information written in other languages

If you need a qualified interpreter, written information in other formats, translation or other services, call the number on your ID card or 1-800-385-4104.

For financial Literacy information see the Office of Consumer Credit Commission webpage https://occc.texas.gov/consumers/consumer-education/guide

STAR Kids Service Coordination:
Service Coordination is a special service performed by a service coordinator to help you make a plan to manage your health and behavioral health care needs. When you enroll with Aetna Better Health of Texas, you may be assigned to a Service Coordinator. If you do not have a Service Coordinator, you can ask for one. The Service Coordinator’s job is to help you with all of your health care needs.  To contact Aetna Better Health of Texas STAR Kids, please call Medicaid STAR Kids 1-844-STRKIDS (1-844-787-5437) and For members who are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-735-2989.

24-Hour Nurse Line:
As a member of Aetna Better Health, you can talk to a nurse when you have health questions. You can call the nurse line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. English/Spanish/interpreter services are available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Even better, this service is provided at no cost to you. 
The nurse can answer your questions and help you make health decisions. You can call the nurse line at:
Medicaid STAR 1-800-248-7767 (Bexar), 1-800-306-8612 (Tarrant) STAR Kids 1-844 STRKIDS (1-844-787-5437) CHIP or CHIP Perinate  1-866-818-0959 (Bexar), 1-800-245-5380 (Tarrant)
TTY/TDD - 1-800-735-2989 
If you have an emergency, please call 911.
For members who are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-735-2989.

Behavioral Health:
We want you and your children to be healthy in body and in mind Our health plan covers health for our members as a whole person.  That includes help for mental health problems like depression or substance abuse.
You don’t need a referral You or your child may go to any mental health provider in our network.  You don’t need to ask your doctor for a referral.
You can get help anytime, day or night If you need help for you or your child right away, call our hotline. It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. English/Spanish/interpreter services are available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. For emergencies, go to the nearest hospital or call 911 right away.
Medicaid STAR (Tarrant): Call 1-800-306-8612; then press 1. Medicaid STAR (Bexar): Call 1-800-248-7767; then press 1.
STAR Kids: Call 1-844-STRKIDS (1-844-787-5437); then press 1.  For Service Coordination, call 1-844-STRKIDS (1-844-787-5437).
CHIP (Tarrant): Call 1-800-245-5380; then press 1. CHIP (Bexar): Call 1-866-818-0959; then press 1.
1-800-735-2989 (TTY/TDD)

Provider Relation-Contact Us 

Provider Call Center – Our hours of operation for the provider hotline is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central time, excluding State-approved holidays.  After hours or weekends, please leave a message. Providers also have 24/7/365 day access by utilizing self-service tools such as our interactive voice response (IVR) system and provider portal for eligibility and benefit questions.

  • Email: TXProviderEnrollment@aetna.com
    Medicaid STAR: Bexar: 1-800-248-7767 Tarrant: 1-800-306-8612
    CHIP: Bexar: 1-866-818-0959 Tarrant: 1-800-245-5380
    Medicaid STAR Kids: Tarrant/Dallas: 1-844-787-5437

Important phone numbers for Aetna Better Health of Texas (English|Spanish) for Pharmacy and Vision and other Aetna Contact Numbers

8am-5pm Monday-Friday

2777 Stemmons Fwy • Dallas, TX 75207  

State Fair Hearings

A Fair Hearing can be requested within 150 days from the appeal decision letter. The Appeal denial notification includes a Fair Hearing Request Form (English/Spanish) for the member to complete and send to the health plan.

In the instance the MCO does not make a decision on an appeal within the 30-calendar day timeframe, the member may request a state fair hearing within 150 days from the date that is 30 days after the appeal request date.

If a member or as the parent or guardian of a member of the health plan, disagree with the health plan’s decision, you have the right to ask for a fair hearing. You may name someone to represent you by writing a signed authorization letter to the health plan telling them:

  • The representative’s name
  • The representative’s title
  • The representative’s agency
  • The representative’s address
  • The representative’s phone number

A doctor or other medical provider may be your representative. If you want to challenge a decision made by your health plan, you or your representative must ask for the fair hearing within 150 calendar days of the date on the health plan’s letter with the decision. If you do not ask for the fair hearing within 150 calendar days, you may lose your right to a fair hearing. To ask for a fair hearing, you or your representative should either send a letter to the health plan at: Aetna Better Health Attention: Member Advocate P.O. Box 569150 Dallas, TX 75356-9150 or call 1‑844‑STRKIDS (1‑844‑787‑5437 (STAR Kids) 1-800-306-8612 (STAR for Tarrant) or 1‑800‑248‑7767 (STAR for Bexar) and by fax (877-223-4580). If you do not request a fair hearing by this date, the service the health plan denied will be stopped. 

You have the right to continue to receive services the health plan denied or reduced, at least until the final hearing decision if member requests a state fair hearing within: (1) 30 calendar days from Aetna Better Health’s mailing of the Notice of Action.  The member may be required to pay the cost of services furnished while the appeal is pending if the final decision is adverse to the member.  A decision on a state fair hearing will be made in 120 days (for State Fair Hearing Requests through October 23, 2020). 

STAR: 1-800-248-7767 (Bexar County)

STAR: 1-800-306-8612 (Tarrant County)

STAR Kids: 1-844-787-5437

Aetna Better Health                              

Attn: Member Advocate                        

P O Box 569150                                        

Dallas, TX 75356-9150       

STAR: 1-800-248-7767 (Bexar County)

STAR: 1-800-306-8612 (Tarrant County)

STAR Kids: 1-844-787-5437

Contact number: Toll-free number to request an Appeal:

STAR - 1-800-248-7767 (Bexar County)

STAR - 1-800-306-8612 (Tarrant County)

STAR Kids - 1-844-787-5437

NCQA Accreditation