Apply for the Health Care Plan

The Hillsborough County Health Care Plan (HCHCP) is a comprehensive managed care program for Hillsborough County residents with limited income and assets who do not qualify for other health care coverage, including Medicare and Medicaid.

The program is funded by a special sales tax and administered by Hillsborough County.

What HCHCP covers

• Primary and specialty care
• Inpatient and outpatient treatment
• Pharmaceuticals
• Other services that are medically necessary

Fees

There is no cost to eligible members for services covered by the plan.

Eligibility

• Resident of Hillsborough County
• U.S. citizen or a documented legal resident of the U.S.
• Not eligible for any other health care coverage, including Medicare and Medicaid
• Medically Needy Program participants may be eligible for the Hillsborough County Health Care Plan
• Income that is at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines (see below)
• Meet asset allowance guidelines

Acceptable proof of residency document list

Provide documentation of Hillsborough County residency using any two of the documents from the following list:

• Valid and current driver’s license or Florida State ID card with Hillsborough County address
• Receipt of mortgage, current lease, or rental payment or letter from a landlord
  • Motel receipts not acceptable
• Proof of home ownership within Hillsborough County
• Homestead exemption document
• Public utility bill in name of applicant or spouse with Hillsborough County address
• Hillsborough County voter registration card
• Proof of enrollment of applicant's children in a school in Hillsborough County
• Residency documented through a social service agency or another County department's case record
• Cancelled mail from a federal, state, or county agency addressed to the applicant or spouse at a local address
• Written verification from a community agency
• Verification from post office of mail received at an address in Hillsborough County by applicant or spouse
• Vehicle registration in the name of the applicant with a residential address within Hillsborough County
• Unity Card/Metropolitan Ministries ID
  • This is a free ID provided to homeless individuals living in Hillsborough County
• Declaration of domicile recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Hillsborough County

What counts as income?

When you complete your application we will ask you to identify sources of your income. List income from any of the following sources:

• Wages, tips, money earned through self-employment (less business costs)
• Other types of income such as Social Security/Railroad Retirement and/or Disability
• VA income, pensions, Civil Service, unemployment, child support, alimony, dividends, interest income, stipends
• Money from another person, annuity income, rental income, workers' compensation, estate/trust income, public assistance, and grants, scholarships, and student loans less tuition, books, fees, and other school-related costs
• Income from odd jobs, day labor, temp pools, babysitting, house cleaning, flea market sales, lawn mowing, etc. is also counted.

What counts as assets?

We will also ask you to identify your assets. List any of the following assets if you have them:

• Checking and savings accounts, profit sharing accounts, deferred compensation accounts, IRAs, insurance policies with cash value, certificates of deposit (CDs), money market accounts, trusts
• Automobiles, other than the first
• Homes other than the homestead, acreage, trailer if not homestead, lots
• Boats, recreational vehicles
• Stocks and bonds

Apply online

• Use our online client portal ACES to create your personal account and apply for the Health Care Plan and health care services
  • Use a desktop computer when applying online
• Having trouble? Check out the HCHCP Client User Guide for assistance

Receiving health care

• When you enroll in Hillsborough Health Care, you will choose one of our neighborhood clinics as your medical clinic
• Once you are enrolled and pick your medical clinic, the doctor who sees you there will make any necessary referrals to specialists and, if necessary, arrange for your admission to a hospital

Get help

Department: Health Care Services
Email: healthcareservicesinfo@hcfl.gov
Phone: (813) 272-5040