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Affordable Healthcare in West Texas and El Paso

El Paso, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo and Abilene. Oilfield paychecks that rise and fall, and long drives between towns.

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Buying your own plan in West Texas & El Paso

In the Permian Basin, income can swing a lot from one year to the next. That makes Marketplace tax credits tricky: the credit is based on what you expect to earn, and a strong year can mean paying some of it back at tax time. Since the extra federal credits ended, a household above 400% of the federal poverty level gets no credit at all (source).

Many of the West Texas households who call us are oilfield contractors and service-company owners, truckers, ranchers, and El Paso small businesses that don't offer a plan.

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Cities we help in West Texas & El Paso

  • El Paso · El Paso County
    University Medical Center of El Paso, The Hospitals of Providence, and Del Sol and Las Palmas medical centers. On Mountain Time, unlike most of Texas.
  • Midland · Midland County
    Midland Memorial Hospital; the business center of the Permian Basin oil field.
  • Odessa · Ector County
    Medical Center Hospital and Odessa Regional Medical Center serve the oilfield towns around it.
  • San Angelo · Tom Green County
    Shannon Medical Center serves the Concho Valley; ranching and Goodfellow Air Force Base.
  • Abilene · Taylor County
    Hendrick Health hospitals; near Dyess Air Force Base.
  • Big Spring and Pecos · Howard and Reeves counties
    Small oilfield and ranch towns where the nearest big hospital can be an hour or more away.

Don't see your town? We help anywhere in Texas. Tell us where you are.

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Outline simplified. This region is highlighted; tap another region's city to open its guide.

Long drives: why virtual primary care fits out here

Outside El Paso, Midland and Odessa, the nearest doctor's office can be a long drive. For most everyday care (an infection, a rash, a refill, a question), a phone or video visit saves the trip and the lost day of work.

The pairing we most often recommend includes a virtual primary care membership with same-day virtual appointments and access around the clock. It works the same in Pecos as in El Paso, and when you're working a site far from home.

For an emergency, go to the nearest hospital. Health sharing has no network, so the bill is handled the same way wherever you are. If you're hurt on the job, workers' compensation may apply first.

Who it fits here, and who should stay on insurance

Usually a good fit: healthy individuals and families who buy their own plan, self-employed people, early retirees under 65, and households whose income is too high for much Marketplace help.

Usually better on insurance: anyone who qualifies for Texas Medicaid or CHIP, anyone with a serious ongoing condition who needs it paid for in year one, anyone planning a pregnancy in the next nine months, anyone who needs regular mental-health therapy, and anyone whose tax credit makes an ACA plan cheap.

In this region specifically: Oilfield jobs with a large operator often come with a good plan. If you're W-2 with benefits, compare that first; this is mostly for contractors and owners.

Not sure which side you're on? Tell us about your household or call (214) 307-8614.

Illustrative example · October 2026

Midland oilfield service owner, family, oldest 44

$633.60 /month

Member + family, oldest member 40–49, $2,500 Initial Unshareable Amount per Need, non-tobacco. Combined medical cost sharing + virtual primary care membership. Optional dental savings plan from $8.95/month. Not a quote; your amount depends on your household.

See the full price table →

Questions we hear from this region

My income changes a lot every year. Does that change the price?

Not for health sharing or primary care. The monthly amount is set by household size, the oldest member's age, tobacco use and your Initial Unshareable Amount. A Marketplace tax credit does depend on your income.

Can I use University Medical Center of El Paso or Midland Memorial with health sharing?

Yes. There's no network, so any licensed hospital works. Pay as a self-pay patient up to your Initial Unshareable Amount, then submit eligible bills.

Is this health insurance?

No. Health care sharing and direct primary care are alternatives to insurance. Sharing is voluntary and not guaranteed, and it isn't Minimum Essential Coverage. Texas has no state penalty for going without insurance.

Other regions: Dallas–Fort Worth · Houston & the Gulf Coast · Austin & Central Texas · San Antonio & the Hill Country · South Texas & the Rio Grande Valley · the Panhandle & South Plains · East Texas

Read more: every option compared · what it costs · health sharing in Texas · direct primary care

Written and reviewed by Graham Kerswell. Last updated October 19, 2026. Facts and prices are checked against the sources named on this page.

Sources

Compare your options in West Texas & El Paso

Tell us who needs care and what you pay now. We'll walk you through the options, including when insurance is the better fit.

Get my optionsCall (214) 307-8614

Free, no obligation. Texas households only.

Health care sharing
Health care sharing ministries are not insurance and are not regulated as insurance. Sharing of medical expenses is voluntary and not guaranteed. Review each organization's guidelines for details, limitations, and state-specific notices.

Texas notice (Texas Insurance Code § 1681.002)
Texas law requires a health care sharing ministry to give this notice on or with its applications and guideline materials: “Notice: This health care sharing ministry facilitates the sharing of medical expenses and is not an insurance company, and neither its guidelines nor its plan of operation is an insurance policy. Whether anyone chooses to assist you with your medical bills will be totally voluntary because no other participant will be compelled by law to contribute toward your medical bills. As such, participation in the ministry or a subscription to any of its documents should never be considered to be insurance. Regardless of whether you receive any payment for medical expenses or whether this ministry continues to operate, you are always personally responsible for the payment of your own medical bills. Complaints concerning this health care sharing ministry may be reported to the office of the Texas attorney general.” Health care sharing is not Minimum Essential Coverage.

Direct primary care
Direct primary care is a membership with a primary care practice. Under Texas law (Texas Occupations Code § 162.253), a direct primary care medical service agreement is not health or accident insurance and is not regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance. A DPC membership does not pay for specialists, hospital care or emergencies, and it is not Minimum Essential Coverage.

Discount plans
THIS PLAN IS NOT INSURANCE and is not intended to replace health insurance. A discount health care program is NOT insurance (Texas Insurance Code ch. 562). It provides discounts at participating providers and does not make payments to providers; the member pays the entire discounted rate. The program does not guarantee the quality of the services or products offered by individual providers. Discount program operator: Careington International Corporation, 7400 Gaylord Parkway, Frisco, TX 75034. Discount plans are not ACA Qualified Health Plans.

How we're paid
We may receive compensation from some organizations we recommend. This does not change our evaluation of how they work. See our Referral Marketing Disclosure.

Not advice
This page is general information, not medical, legal, tax or financial advice. Prices are examples, not quotes; they depend on your household and can change. Affordable Healthcare Texas is not an insurance agency and does not sell insurance. We help individuals and families explore alternatives to insurance, including direct primary care, health care sharing and discount plans.