Medical billing services for Fort Worth practices
SFA Solutions handles billing for Fort Worth and Tarrant County practices remotely from Austin, working inside the EHR and PM system you already use. Our U.S.-based team knows the Tarrant service area plans, Texas Health Steps rules and the 95-day deadlines that apply across Texas Medicaid and commercial claims.
Remote service from our Austin, Texas headquarters. No EHR migration required.
The Tarrant service area
Fort Worth practices fall in HHSC's Tarrant Medicaid managed care service area, which covers Denton, Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties. It is a smaller plan lineup than Houston or Dallas: STAR is offered by Aetna Better Health, Cook Children's Health Plan and Wellpoint, and STAR+PLUS by Molina and UnitedHealthcare. Fewer plans means fewer contracts to maintain, but each plan's authorization and claim rules still need separate tracking.
Cook Children's and pediatric Medicaid
Cook Children's Health Plan serves STAR, STAR Kids and CHIP members in the Tarrant area. HHSC did not include it in the 2024 STAR and CHIP awards, Cook Children's challenged that decision in court, and the plan has continued serving members under its current contract. Pediatric practices in Fort Worth should keep their Cook Children's, Aetna and Wellpoint credentialing current and watch for HHSC notices. Texas Health Steps checkups also carry their own TMHP documentation and billing requirements.
County hospital and system-employed physicians
JPS Health Network is Tarrant County's public hospital system, and Texas Health Resources, Baylor Scott & White, Cook Children's and Medical City all run major Fort Worth hospitals. Many physicians are employed by those systems, while independent practices in the suburbs bill under their own tax IDs and contracts. Independent physicians who also work hospital shifts need clean separation between facility and office place of service codes and between group and individual NPIs.
Medicare Advantage in Tarrant County
CMS data from March 2025, compiled by the RUPRI Center, shows 62.2% of Medicare-eligible Tarrant County residents enrolled in Medicare Advantage, above the 58.9% statewide figure. Most senior visits are billed to MA plans with their own authorization lists, and the rest go to Novitas Solutions under Medicare Jurisdiction H. We verify coverage before the visit so an MA patient is not billed to traditional Medicare by mistake.
Tarrant service area
HHSC announced new STAR and CHIP contract awards in 2024, but a Travis County court blocked them in October 2024 and the state appealed. HHSC's service area map revised in January 2026 still shows the plans listed here, so treat this list as current for now and confirm the member's plan in TMHP or the plan portal before each visit.
- Aetna Better Health of Texas (STAR, STAR Kids, CHIP)
- Cook Children's Health Plan (STAR, STAR Kids, CHIP)
- Wellpoint (STAR, CHIP)
- Molina Healthcare (STAR+PLUS)
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (STAR+PLUS)
- Superior HealthPlan (STAR Health, statewide)
Major health systems in the area
- Texas Health Resources (Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth)
- JPS Health Network
- Cook Children's Health Care System
- Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center
- Medical City Fort Worth
Specialty mix
Fort Worth has a strong pediatric base anchored by Cook Children's, a large primary care and family medicine market across Tarrant, Parker and Johnson counties, and orthopedic, cardiology and behavioral health practices serving fast-growing suburbs. Pediatric and family practices carry a heavier STAR and CHIP share, so MCO eligibility and the 95-day filing limit are the main risks. Specialty practices tend to deal more with Medicare Advantage authorizations and commercial underpayments.
Also serving practices in Arlington, Keller, Burleson, Weatherford, Mansfield, Grapevine, Denton, Southlake.
Fort Worth medical billing questions
Which Medicaid plans can Fort Worth practices see?
Fort Worth is in the Tarrant service area. STAR is offered by Aetna Better Health, Cook Children's Health Plan and Wellpoint. STAR Kids is offered by Aetna and Cook Children's, and STAR+PLUS by Molina and UnitedHealthcare.
Is Denton County in the Dallas or Tarrant Medicaid service area?
Denton County is in the Tarrant service area, along with Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties. Collin County, next door, is in the Dallas service area, so practices near the county line may see patients from both plan lineups.
Do you have an office in Fort Worth?
No. SFA Solutions is based in Austin and works with Fort Worth practices remotely inside their existing EHR or PM system. Each practice has a named account manager.
Is there a long-term contract?
No. Service is month-to-month with 60 days' notice. Most practices start with a free practice audit, where we review your billing and walk you through where revenue may be slipping.
Sources
- Texas HHSC: Medicaid and CHIP managed care service areas map (MCOs as of January 2026)
- Texas HHSC STAR+PLUS Handbook, Appendix XXXVIII: service areas by county
- RUPRI Center: Texas Medicare Advantage enrollment by county (CMS data, March 2025)
- Cook Children's: STAR and CHIP contract update
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