How to Become a Patient
Welcome to CommuniCare!
At CommuniCare, we’re all about making your experience as hassle-free as possible. To help you prepare for your visit, we’ve put together essential information to ensure everything goes smoothly when you arrive. If you are a new patient, we kindly ask you to call us at (210) 233-7000. Our Patient Health Services Team is ready to assist you in establishing your care with CommuniCare. They will help you schedule your first appointment and provide you with clear instructions on what to expect next in the process.
Preparing for Your Visit
New Patients: We suggest arriving 10-15 minutes prior to your appointment time. When you arrive at the clinic for your appointment, you will be asked to fill out a new patient form at one of our kiosks located in the front lobby. If the clinic you are visiting does not have a kiosk, you will receive a physical form to fill out instead. Please remember to bring the following information and items with you to your appointment.
Cancellation and No-Show Policy
Life happens — we get it! If you can’t make your appointment, please let us know at least 24 hours in advance. This way, we can offer your spot to another patient in need.
Arriving on time is also key to keeping everyone’s day running efficiently. If you anticipate being more than 20 minutes late to your appointment, please give us a call. We will do our best to accommodate you, but if we are unable to do so, you may need to reschedule your appointment.
Please note: If you miss more than three appointments in six months without giving adequate notice, we may need to pause your ability to schedule new visits for six months. This helps ensure fairness for all our patients.
Insurance and Payment Options
Patients with Private (Commercial) Health Insurance
You will need your insurance card and a picture ID. If you do not have a current insurance card, you can provide a letter from your insurance company that contains information about your healthcare coverage.
If you wish to become a patient and want to learn more about additional services and programs we offer, please call us at (210) 233-7000. For your convenience, you may also book an Adult Medicine or Pediatric appointment online. (For all other appointment types, like Women's Health, Behavioral Health, Dental, and all specialty care services, please call our main line as seen listed above to schedule an appointment directly with one of our patient health services representatives.)
- Aetna*
- Ambetter Health
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas - BCBSTX
- Cigna Healthcare
- Community First Health Plans
- Humana
- MultiPlan
- Oscar Health Insurance
- Tricare West Region/TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare
*CommuniCare does not accept new patients with Aetna (specifically Aetna-CVS) health insurance at this time. If you have any questions or concerns about insurance, please email us at patientinquiry@communicaresa.org.
- Aetna
- Ameritas
- Assurant DHA
- BCBSTX (DNOA)
- Careington
- Cigna
- Delta Dental
- Dental Select
- FCE Benefit Admin
- First Continental Life
- GEHA
- Group Pension Admin
- Guardian
- Humana
- Liberty Dental Plan
- MetLife PDP
- Principal Life
- Reliance Standard
- UniCare (Wellpoint Anthem)
- United Concordia
- United Healthcare
Patients with Medicaid, CHIP, or Medicare
Parents of children with Medicaid or CHIP will need to provide a picture ID and the child's Medicaid/CHIP card.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
- State-issued ID or Driver's License (foreign licenses are acceptable)
- School ID (must include picture and name)
- Passport
- Citizenship certificate with picture and name
- Community First Health Plans - Medicaid/CHIP
- Superior HealthPlan - Medicaid/CHIP
- TMHP - Medicaid Traditional
- DentaQuest - Medicaid/CHIP
- MCNA - Medicaid/CHIP
- Aetna
- Allwell/Superior HealthPlan
- BCBSTX
- Community First Health Plans
- HealthSpring/WellMed
- Humana Gold/WellMed
- Medicare NGS/Novitas Traditional*
- United/WellMed
- United Healthcare
- Wellcare
Please note: Medicare NGS/Novitas Traditional is the only Medicare insurance plan that CommuniCare accepts at this time for behavioral health services.
- Envolve/Allwell
Self-Pay Patients (Patients Without Insurance)
Need help with health insurance or to see if you qualify for our sliding fee discount program? We understand how confusing health insurance can be, so we’re here to help! Our dedicated Medical Eligibility Specialists (MES) are here to help you get healthcare coverage for yourself and your family. They will assist you in exploring whether you qualify for programs like Medicaid and Medicare, or help you navigate the Health Insurance Marketplace to find a plan that best suits your needs.
If you don’t qualify for Medicaid, Medicare, or any health plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace, you may still be eligible for our sliding fee discount program, which helps lower the cost of services based on your income and family size. We use a sliding fee scale set by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to determine discounts. Learn more about our discount program in the section below.
To set up an appointment with our MES Team, please call (210) 233-7076 or email mes.team@communicaresa.org.
Discount Program
To qualify for our sliding fee discount program, you must have a total family income that is less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. To assist us in assessing your eligibility for the program, you will need to provide the following required documents at your initial patient registration appointment: proof of identification, income, and residency as described below.
(1) Proof of Identity:
- For adults, please bring at least one picture identification (ID): current driver's license, Texas identification card, legal resident documents, passport, or consulate card. If you do not have a picture ID, bring any two (2) of the following: birth certificate, social security card, voter registration card, school record, marriage license, selective service card, checkbook, etc.
- For children, please bring their birth certificate and social security card (if applicable), birth-verification letter from hospital of child's birth, or an immunization record
(2) Proof of Income (as applicable):
- Earned income: copy of most recent paycheck stubs within 30 days, tax return, or statement from employer with company's information
- Unearned income: recent TANF letter from Texas Department of Human Services, Social Security Administration and/or Social Security Supplement Child support award letter from Attorney General, Retirement Pension award letter, Veteran's pension letter, or Unemployment award letter from Texas Workforce Commission
- Self-employment: self-employment declaration forms/letter from the last 2 months or 1040 Income Tax forms with W2 form
(3) Proof of Residency:
- Utility bills (telephone bill, electric bill, gas bill, etc.), food stamp letter, mail received by applicant, or lease from dwelling (house, apartment, condo, etc.)
Important to note: Eligibility for our CommmuniCare's sliding fee discount program is only good for one year. If you wish to maintain eligibility with this program, your information must be updated every year or whenever there are changes in household size, household income, or if someone in the household obtains or loses medical coverage. If the eligibility information is not updated by your expiration date, your account will be charged at the full fee of any services used.
CommuniCare Patient Privacy Rights
At CommuniCare, we are deeply committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information, in alignment with our mission and values, as well as adherence to applicable laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), accreditation standards, and CMS Conditions of Participation. Our clinics ensure that every patient, regardless of age, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, physical or mental challenges, or payment source, receives care with dignity, respect, and confidentiality.
All clinic employees and medical staff are responsible for safeguarding the privacy and security of your personal health information at every stage of your care. Patients, or their legally authorized representatives, have the right to access and manage their health information without fear of coercion, discrimination, harassment, abuse, or retaliation.
CommuniCare is dedicated to empowering patients with the knowledge they need to make informed healthcare decisions. Our Notice of Patient Privacy Rights outlines your rights as a patient, including how your health information is used, disclosed, and protected. You can download our Notice of Patient Privacy Rights in English and Spanish below for more detailed information.