Texas: UnitedHealthcare Connected MMP transition

Change for Harris County

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, UnitedHealthcare Connected® Medicare-Medicaid Plan (MMP) members in Harris County will move to:

• UnitedHealthcare HIDE SNP for Medicare-covered services 
• UnitedHealthcare STAR+PLUS for Medicaid-covered services

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires all MMP plans end on Dec. 31, 2025. To maintain coverage, we’re transitioning members to an integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP).

Dual plan offers coordinated care

The D-SNP is for people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. These members are automatically enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare STAR+PLUS Medicaid plan. This means they get both types of benefits through UnitedHealthcare, with services coordinated to help make care easier to manage.

What you need to know

• No action needed from MMP members. Former UnitedHealthcare MMP members in Harris County will move to the new integrated D-SNP unless they choose another D-SNP carrier.
• This change does not affect our other D-SNP plans or other counties
• To maximize your ability to see UnitedHealthcare integrated D-SNP members, you must be:
  • Enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid
  • In the UnitedHealthcare® Medicare Advantage and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas networks
• If you are a Medicare provider not in STAR+PLUS:
  • You’ll still be paid based on your Medicare contract
  • To receive payment for Medicaid-only services or cost-sharing, you must be enrolled with Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Medicaid program
• If you’re already in both UnitedHealthcare networks, you do not need a new contract

How you enroll

• UnitedHealthcare – Go to Join our Network
• Medicare – Apply through the Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) Enrollment Portal. You’ll need an NPI (National Provider Identifier) before enrolling.
• Texas Medicaid – Use the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) website to enroll

Claims

We will coordinate Medicare and Medicaid benefits once you submit the claim to UnitedHealthcare. Submit claims electronically for faster processing.

• Electronic – Sign in to the UnitedHealthcare Provider Portal  with your One Healthcare ID. Go to Claims & Payments > Submit a Claim.
• Paper – Mail the completed claim form to the address on the back of the member’s ID card
• You can download a copy of the member ID card in the UnitedHealthcare Provider Portal  > Sign In > Eligibility

Prior authorization requests

Sign in to the provider portal and use the Prior Authorization and Notification Tool.

What the change means for members in UnitedHealthcare’s integrated D-SNP

• They will keep all Medicare and Medicaid benefits without interruption
• They will get 1 new member ID card covering both Medicare and STAR+PLUS services

Additional resources

• For details about plans or services:
  • Medicare - Administrative Guide
  • Medicaid - Texas Care Provider Manual 
• Learn more about prior authorization
• Explore UnitedHealthcare Provider Portal resources
• Try our Interactive self-paced guides