Social Security disability

Disability benefits in Texas

Social Security rules are the same in every state. This page covers what is different in Texas: who decides your claim, state money added to SSI, Medicaid, hearings and free help.

You have 60 days to appeal each decision, plus 5 days for mail.

How to appeal a denial Appeal deadline calculator

Who decides your claim in Texas?

Disability Determination Services (DDS)

Texas Health and Human Services decides the medical part of Social Security disability (SSDI) and SSI claims in Texas. Social Security makes the final decision on who gets benefits.

Part of: Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)
Phone: 512-437-8000 or 1-800-252-7009 (if you already filed a claim and want to give more information or ask about it)
Website: https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/disability/how-pay-services

Find a Social Security office

Does Texas add money to SSI?

Social Security does not add any Texas state money to SSI checks. Social Security pays you the federal SSI amount.

Medicaid in Texas

If you get SSI in Texas, you also get Medicaid. You do not need a separate Medicaid application. Social Security sends your information to the state.

Program: Texas Medicaid
Medicaid agency: Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)
https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/health/medicaid-chip
2-1-1 (2-1-1 Texas)

Medicaid for working people with disabilities: Medicaid Buy-In (MBI)

Medicaid Buy-In is Medicaid for people with disabilities who work and earn more than regular Medicaid allows. Your income can be up to 250% of the federal poverty level. Your countable resources must be $2,000 or less. You may have to pay a monthly premium. The premium is on a sliding scale based on your income. You get a Your Texas Benefits Medicaid card.

https://fhb.hhs.texas.gov/handbooks/medicaid-elderly-people-disabilities-handbook/chapter-m-medicaid-buy-program

Medicare Savings Programs

Texas has Medicare Savings Programs that can help pay Medicare costs. Rules are in the HHSC handbook, Chapter Q: https://fhb.hhs.texas.gov/handbooks/medicaid-elderly-people-disabilities-handbook/chapter-q-medicare-savings-program

State disability and paid leave in Texas

Texas has no state-run short-term disability or paid medical leave program listed here.

Hearing offices and federal court in Texas

7 hearing offices serve Texas. Hearing office locator (Social Security)

Dallas, TX (Downtown) Hearing Office

Hearing office

Address: Harwood Center, Suite 2300, 1999 Bryan Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (866) 563-3885
Fax: (833) 648-0165

Dallas, TX (North) Hearing Office

Hearing office

Address: Building 9, Suite 500, 12790 Merit Drive, Dallas, TX 75251
Phone: (866) 331-7135
Fax: (833) 631-1014

Fort Worth, TX Hearing Office

Hearing office

Address: Federal Office Building, Room 9A27, 819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Phone: (866) 613-2744
Fax: (833) 985-2267

Houston, TX (North) Hearing Office

Hearing office

Address: 4015 Aldine Bender Road, Houston, TX 77032
Phone: (877) 850-7829
Fax: (833) 631-1018

Houston, TX (West) Hearing Office

Hearing office

Address: 9700 Richmond Avenue, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77042
Phone: (866) 779-5456
Fax: (833) 648-0167

Rio Grande Valley, TX Hearing Office

Hearing office

Address: Suite 200, 2009 West Jefferson Avenue, Harlingen, TX 78550
Phone: (877) 452-6985
Fax: (833) 702-0719

San Antonio, TX Hearing Office

Hearing office

Address: 10222 San Pedro Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78216
Phone: (855) 829-8915
Fax: (833) 694-0067

Federal district court

If you appeal to federal court, you file in the district court that covers your county.

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Court help for people without a lawyer

Counties covered (100)

Dallas
Ellis
Hunt
Johnson
Kaufman
Navarro
Rockwall
Comanche
Erath
Hood
Jack
Palo Pinto
Parker
Tarrant
Wise
Callahan
Eastland
Fisher
Haskell
Howard
Jones
Mitchell
Nolan
Shackelford
Stephens
Stonewall
Taylor
Throckmorton
Brown
Coke
Coleman
Concho
Crockett
Glasscock
Irion
Menard
Mills
Reagan
Runnels
Schleicher
Sterling
Sutton
Tom Green
Armstrong
Briscoe
Carson
Castro
Childress
Collingsworth
Dallam
Deaf Smith
Donley
Gray
Hall
Hansford
Hartley
Hemphill
Hutchinson
Lipscomb
Moore
Ochiltree
Oldham
Parmer
Potter
Randall
Roberts
Sherman
Swisher
Wheeler
Archer
Baylor
Clay
Cottle
Foard
Hardeman
King
Knox
Montague
Wichita
Wilbarger
Young
Bailey
Borden
Cochran
Crosby
Dawson
Dickens
Floyd
Gaines
Garza
Hale
Hockley
Kent
Lamb
Lubbock
Lynn
Motley
Scurry
Terry
Yoakum

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Counties covered (43)

Brazoria
Chambers
Galveston
Matagorda
Austin
Brazos
Colorado
Fayette
Fort Bend
Grimes
Harris
Madison
Montgomery
San Jacinto
Walker
Waller
Wharton
Jim Hogg
La Salle
McMullen
Webb
Zapata
Cameron
Willacy
Calhoun
DeWitt
Goliad
Jackson
Lavaca
Refugio
Victoria
Aransas
Bee
Brooks
Duval
Jim Wells
Kenedy
Kleberg
Live Oak
Nueces
San Patricio
Hidalgo
Starr

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

Court help for people without a lawyer

Counties covered (43)

Anderson
Cherokee
Gregg
Henderson
Panola
Rains
Rusk
Smith
Van Zandt
Wood
Hardin
Jasper
Jefferson
Liberty
Newton
Orange
Collin
Cooke
Delta
Denton
Fannin
Grayson
Hopkins
Lamar
Camp
Cass
Harrison
Marion
Morris
Upshur
Bowie
Franklin
Red River
Titus
Angelina
Houston
Nacogdoches
Polk
Sabine
San Augustine
Shelby
Trinity
Tyler

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas

Court help for people without a lawyer

Counties covered (68)

Bastrop
Blanco
Burleson
Burnet
Caldwell
Gillespie
Hays
Kimble
Lampasas
Lee
Llano
Mason
McCulloch
San Saba
Travis
Washington
Williamson
Bell
Bosque
Coryell
Falls
Freestone
Hamilton
Hill
Leon
Limestone
McLennan
Milam
Robertson
Somervell
El Paso
Atascosa
Bandera
Bexar
Comal
Dimmit
Frio
Gonzales
Guadalupe
Karnes
Kendall
Kerr
Medina
Real
Wilson
Edwards
Kinney
Maverick
Terrell
Uvalde
Val Verde
Zavala
Brewster
Culberson
Jeff Davis
Hudspeth
Loving
Pecos
Presidio
Reeves
Ward
Winkler
Andrews
Crane
Ector
Martin
Midland
Upton

Free help in Texas

Protection & Advocacy agency (P&A)

Disability Rights Texas

Phone: 512-454-4816 (toll-free 800-252-9108, video phone 866-362-2851)
Website: https://www.disabilityrightstx.org/

Legal aid

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas · 1-888-529-5277
https://legalaidtx.org/
Lone Star Legal Aid · 1-800-733-8394
https://www.lonestarlegal.org/
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) · 956-996-8752
https://www.trla.org/

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

Texas Workforce Commission - Vocational Rehabilitation Program

Phone: 512-936-6400
Website: https://www.twc.texas.gov/programs/vocational-rehabilitation

ABLE savings account

Texas ABLE

Website: https://www.texasable.org/

More free help across the country →

Good to know in Texas

Texas Medicaid Buy-In lets people with disabilities who work keep Medicaid with income up to 250% of the poverty level. Some people pay a monthly premium. (HHSC MEPD Handbook M-1200)

More RobinClaim guides for Texas → · All states

Sources

Last checked: November 2026