Azucena's Primary Home Care
STAR+PLUS is the most important Medicaid program for home care in Cameron County. Most families are confused about how to access it. This guide walks you through every step.
STAR+PLUS is Texas Medicaid's managed care program for adults 21 and older who qualify for both Medicaid and meet a nursing facility level of care. In Cameron County, it's administered through four private Managed Care Organizations (MCOs): Superior HealthPlan, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, Molina Healthcare, and Wellpoint (formerly Amerigroup).
There are two parts to STAR+PLUS for home care. The STAR+PLUS State Plan covers basic Personal Assistance Services (PAS) through your MCO. The HCBS Waiver (Home and Community-Based Services) covers more extensive services — including companion care, respite, adaptive aids, and more — for people who would otherwise require nursing home care. Most families in Cameron County want to access the HCBS Waiver because it provides significantly more hours of care.
The functional assessment is usually scheduled within 10–14 business days of your request. Once the assessment is complete and services are authorized, care can begin within days. If you need care urgently after a hospital discharge, call your MCO immediately and ask for an expedited review — most MCOs will prioritize hospital discharge cases.
Once you receive STAR+PLUS HCBS authorization, you have the right to choose your agency. Simply tell your MCO Service Coordinator that you want Azucena's Primary Home Care (HCSSA #024195) as your designated provider in Cameron County. We accept all four Cameron County MCOs: Superior HealthPlan, UnitedHealthcare, Molina Healthcare, and Wellpoint.
Call us at (956) 594-8188. We help families navigate the STAR+PLUS process every day — at no cost. We'll tell you exactly what to say to your MCO to get the process started.