Information for Parents of Newborn Children
Newborn Medicaid Coverage Notice — If the mother of your newborn child had Medicaid coverage at the time of the child’s birth, the child will get Medicaid benefits until he or she turns 1 year old. The facility where the child was born will notify the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) about the birth, and your child will be assigned an identification number. You may use the mother’s Medicaid identification number for coverage of services the child receives until the child has their own Medicaid identification number. A packet will be sent in the mail when it’s time to renew Medicaid benefits for the child. If you have any questions about the child’s Medicaid coverage, call HHSC at 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central time. After selecting a language, choose option 2.
During the 2005 Regular 79th legislative session, legislators passed Senate Bill 316. This bill requires hospitals, birthing centers, physicians, nurse-midwives, and midwives who provide prenatal care to pregnant women during gestation or at delivery to provide the woman and the father of the infant or other adult caregiver of the infant with a resource pamphlet that includes information on postpartum depression, shaken baby syndrome, immunizations, and newborn screening. Providers must document in the client's chart that she received this information and documentation must be retained for a minimum of five years. It is recommended that the information be given twice, once at the first prenatal visit and again after delivery. Additional details of the law can be located in the Texas Health and Safety Code Section 161.501.
Agency responsibilities: The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has been directed to develop a resource that contains the required information, make the resource available online and for distribution in English and Spanish, and update the information on a regularly.
NEW from Texas Health and Human Services —
Newborn Medicaid Coverage Notice - (English/Spanish)(PDF) - 12/1/2025
You can get this pamphlet in .PDF format by downloading it from here:
Information for Parents of Newborns
English (PDF, Stock number: #1-316) Revised Dec. 2025
Spanish (PDF, Stock number: #1-316a) Revised Dec. 2025
Information for Parents of Newborns Rack Card (English/Spanish)
Or you may order it directly through the HHSC Warehouse or call them at (512) 250-7162 for assistance with your order. 2024 publication is in stock. Revised 2025 version available soon.
Another useful resource for new parents is the Pregnancy, Parenting, and Depression Resource web page.