The City of Garland has partnered with MD Health Pathways to provide residents with convenient access to Tap Telehealth. Every household in Garland will automatically be included so no family is left out—but the choice is always yours. If you prefer not to participate, you can easily opt out.

• No cost to the City of Garland — the program is fully funded through the $6 fee collected from Garland utility customers.
• True universal access — includes all residents (insured, uninsured, underinsured, non-English speakers, tech-limited households).
• Reduced school and work absenteeism — timely care helps prevent avoidable illness-related absences.
• Public health alerts — built-in text alerts for flu, heat, or air quality issues.

• Lower family costs — flat, predictable monthly fee instead of unexpected medical bills.

At least 90 days before the start date, the City of Garland and Tap Telehealth will publish all phone numbers, text lines, and email addresses.

• Fast response times – On average, patients connect with a doctor in under 60 seconds.
• Expanded provider pool – We maintain a large team of licensed physicians and nurse practitioners, with the ability to add more as demand grows.
• Local commitment – Many of our doctors have served Garland families for decades.

• $6 per month, per household – one flat fee that covers everyone at the address (up to 10 people).
• Unlimited visits – no limits on how often you can use the service.

The fee is a flat $6 per household. We define a household as 10 individuals who can be included under a single utility account.

This $6 fee grants your household access to the program and covers all costs for treatment. Whether you use the service once a month or 20 times a month, this $6 fee is all you will be charged. Patients are responsible for the cost of prescription medications.

The fee will start at $6 per month and slowly increase over a 7-year scheduled period. Below is a breakdown of the fee increase: 

Years 1-2: $6

Years 3-4: $7

Years 5-6: $8

Year 7 and beyond: $9

Any City of Garland resident is eligible to use Tap Telehealth regardless of insurance coverage, Medicaid status, or Medicare status. No one is excluded based on their insurance situation.

Yes, you will still have access if you live in an apartment and do not directly receive a utility bill from the City of Garland.

The utility bill is simply the easiest and most reliable way to reach every household. Participation is completely optional—you can opt out at any time.

• Call us — Call (972) 688-6330 and speak with a live representative who can remove you in under a minute.
• Email us — City of Garland utility account customers wanting to opt out may email optout@garlandtx.gov. Within the opt-out email, please include the account holder’s name, address, phone number and account number (if available).

Opting out is a one-time action. There’s no need to opt out again each year. Once a resident opts out, that choice remains in place unless they decide to opt back in. Residents can opt back in at any time if they change their mind.

Households who do not wish to participate can opt out now by emailing optout@garlandtx.gov and including the account holder’s name, address, phone number, and account number (if available).

Once your email is received, an automatic confirmation message will be sent to your inbox verifying that your opt-out request was received.

Note: If multiple emails are submitted from the same email address, an automatic response will not be generated each time. The confirmation message will only be received once, following the first email.

If you do not see the confirmation in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folder, as automated messages may occasionally be redirected there.

Although the official launch of Tap Telehealth is not until the spring or summer of 2026, residents may opt out at any time prior to the launch.

• Everyday urgent issues: coughs, colds, flu, sore throats, ear infections, sinus infections, UTIs, minor injuries.
• Skin concerns: rashes, acne, allergic reactions, insect bites, minor burns.
• Medication management: safe refills, dosage questions, and prescription adjustments (excluding controlled substances).
• Mental health support: guidance and referrals for stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Preventive health guidance: wellness advice, chronic condition check-ins, and healthy living support.
• Prescriptions: sent directly to any licensed pharmacy you choose.
• Referrals: for labs, imaging (X-rays, MRIs), and specialty care at affordable community partners.
• Unlimited family-wide access: up to 10 people in the home, no limits, no copays, no surprise bills.

Every encounter with our medical staff starts with a text message. However, it is simple and easy for our medical providers to give you a call or start a video conversation. Let our providers know you’d prefer a different communication method and they will be happy to accommodate.

The platform that our medical staff uses to communicate with patients is equipped with translation software. We are able to speak with patients via text and over the phone in more than 100 languages.

All of the medical providers responding to Garland residents are located in North Texas. Our medical staff is comprised of fully licensed and board-certified Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and Doctors with Emergency Room and Urgent Care experience.

Yes. 

We know there has been some confusion on social media regarding the eligibility of residents on Medicare. To clarify, we treat everyone regardless of insurance status. On our end, there is no difference between patients with private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or no insurance. No Garland resident will ever be excluded from care due to their existing health coverage.

No.

While technology helps connect patients with our medical team quickly and securely in addition to allowing us to deliver an excellent patient experience, every diagnosis and treatment decision is made by a licensed medical professional. All evaluations, diagnoses, and prescriptions are handled in real time by a live physician who listens, asks questions, and provides personalized care—just like an in-person visit, but from the comfort of home.

All of our clinicians have an emergency medicine background, a foundation we consider essential. As part of our medical team, they’re applying the same skills they honed while caring for patients in emergency departments and urgent care centers. That experience equips them to confidently evaluate patients they’ve never met before, where it’s common to diagnose and treat without access to prior records. They rely on thoughtful questioning, sound clinical judgment, and real-world experience to make safe, effective decisions even when full histories aren’t available.

We collect your medical history directly from you. During your visit, our care team asks key questions about your health history, medications, and allergies right over text or phone. Our providers also have access to secure prescription monitoring programs (PMPs), which help verify past and current medications. While we trust patients to share accurate information, we understand that details can sometimes be missed, so our team double-checks where possible.

When a patient texts in for care, they will be prompted to complete a short form asking for basic demographic information. The following images detail exactly what is asked of a patient to start their encounter.

Further information like prior medical history, allergies, or a current medication list is asked later in the encounter by the medical provider directly. All personal information is stored within our HIPAA compliant software. Your information is never shared with the City of Garland or other entities.

• No data sharing with the City or utility – The City of Garland will never see your health information. They only collect the monthly service fee. 
• Secure communication – All messages are encrypted end-to-end.
• Strict safeguards – We follow HIPAA and federal security standards to protect your medical records.
• No selling of data – We do not sell or share your health information with third parties.

• You control your care – Your medical information stays between you and your Tap Telehealth provider.

Once the service is launched, MD Health Pathways will provide the City of Garland with a comprehensive reporting dashboard that tracks how the telehealth program is performing in real time. This dashboard gives City leaders and community partners clear insight into the program’s impact, including:

• Total telehealth encounters: The number of residents who have received care through the program.
• Age demographics: A breakdown showing which age groups are benefiting most—from school-aged children to seniors.
• Estimated school days returned: The number of school days students have been able to attend thanks to same-day care and reduced illness-related absences.
• Estimated work days returned: The number of days working parents or caregivers avoided missing work because their family received prompt care.
• EMS utilization and reduction: Tracking reductions in non-emergency EMS calls or transports as residents access timely telehealth services instead.
• Program participation and opt-out rates: Monitoring engagement across the community to ensure residents understand and feel comfortable using the service.

These insights allow both the City of Garland and MD Health Pathways to continually refine and improve the program, ensuring it delivers measurable health, educational, and economic benefits to the community.

Garland City Council Members and MD Health Pathways are hosting a number of meetings across the community. Below is a list of scheduled meetings that will be updated as more are available: 

• District 6 Town Hall With Council Member Carissa Dutton
  • 6:30-8 p.m. | August 28, 2025 |Hollabaugh Recreation Center
  • MD Health Pathways staff on site to answer questions.

• District 2 Town Hall With Council Member Kris Beard
  • 6-7:30 p.m. | October 23, 2025 | Central Library
  • MD Health Pathways staff on site to answer questions. 

• District 5 Town Hall With Council Member Margaret Lucht
  • 6-7:30 p.m. | November 6, 2025 | South Garland Library
  • MD Health Pathways staff on site to answer questions.

• District 4 Town Hall With Council Member B.J. Williams
  • 6:30-8 p.m. | January 22, 2026 | Audubon Recreation Center
  • MD Health Pathways staff on site to answer questions.