Providers May Use Mother's Medicaid ID When Submitting Claims for Newborns

Date: December 1, 2025

Attention: All Providers

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

Call to action: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) informs providers that, in accordance with House Bill 3940, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, if a newborn child of a Medicaid recipient has not yet been assigned a Medicaid identification number, providers may use the mother’s Medicaid ID on any claim for reimbursement under the Medicaid program. This measure helps ensure newborns receive timely access to covered services while enrollment processing is completed.

Providers should also inform mothers or expectant mothers that the mother’s Medicaid ID may be used for the newborn’s services until the child is enrolled in Medicaid and assigned a separate Medicaid ID.

Additional Information for Providers:

• The Information for Parents of Newborns pamphlet and A Parent’s Guide to Raising Healthy, Happy Children resource guide are available at:
  
  https://www.dshs.texas.gov/maternal-child-health/maternal-and-child-health-publications.
  
  These publications will be updated soon with information on Medicaid benefits for newborns, eligibility requirements, the application process, and how to report a child’s birth for enrollment.
   
• A new written notice will inform parents and caregivers that newborns are automatically eligible for Medicaid and that providers may use the mother’s Medicaid ID for billing until the newborn receives a separate Medicaid ID.

Next steps: Providers should share this communication with their staff. Revised materials are forthcoming. Providers are encouraged to check back periodically for updates.

If you have any questions, please email Provider Relations at: providerrelations@texaschildrens.org. 

For access to all provider alerts: www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/provideralerts.