Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility and Enrollment

What Is Louisiana Medicaid?

Louisiana Medicaid is a joint federal and state government program that offers health care coverage to Louisiana residents who meet specific eligibility criteria.

The Louisiana Department of Health administers the Louisiana Medicaid Program, and most users access health care through the Healthy Louisiana program, which lets members choose from a variety of subsidized managed health care plans.

What Does Louisiana Medicaid Cover?

Louisiana Medicaid covers most health care costs for those in the program.

Preventative care, emergency care, laboratory tests, prescriptions, physical therapy, dental services and vision care are included. Dental care is administered through the MCNA Dental program, and registered Medicaid recipients are automatically enrolled in dental services.

Who Is Eligible for Medicaid in Louisiana?

Louisiana residents between the ages of 19 and 64 with an income at or below 138% of the federal poverty level qualify for Louisiana Medicaid via the Medicaid Expansion that was part of the ACA.

Louisiana opted into the federal Medicaid Expansion in 2016 and the state started automatically enrolling many people who qualified at that time. Children under age 19 without other health care coverage may qualify for the  Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP), a Medicaid program designed specifically for children in the state.

Others who may qualify for specific Medicaid programs in Louisiana include:

• Louisiana residents currently receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
• Louisiana residents who are disabled
• Louisiana residents who are the parents or caretakers of a child under age 19
• Pregnant women who live in Louisiana
• Louisiana residents without insurance who need treatment for breast or cervical cancer
• Louisiana residents who already get Medicare and who qualify as low income 
• Louisiana residents with corrected vision no better than 20/200

What Are the Income Limits for Louisiana Medicaid?

The income limits used to determine Louisiana Medicaid eligibility are based on the federal poverty level, so the exact income limit changes each year as the federal poverty level updates. Eligibility is also dependent on family size and the specific type of Medicaid program you need.

As an example, the 2023 income limits for eligibility for adults 19 to 64 without Medicare were $1,562 per month for a single individual and $3,191 per month for a family of four. 

The current income limits can be found on the Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Income page.

How Do I Enroll in Medicaid in Louisiana?

There are a few ways to enroll in Medicaid in Louisiana. If you receive medical services at a local hospital, there may be a Medicaid enrollment assistant on site to help you enroll at the time of services. If you are enrolling and not in a medical emergency, these are your options:

• Apply online using the Louisiana Medicaid Online Application (OLA).
• Apply by phone using the Medicaid hotline. The toll free number is 1-888-342-6207 and phone applications are accepted Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Mail or fax an application to the state Medicaid office. You can download and print a Medicaid application The forms are available in Spanish and Vietnamese in addition to English.
• Apply by visiting any of the statewide Medicaid Application Centers. Call first to check whether the one near you accepts walk-in applications or if you need to make an appointment.
  
  
• Apply at your regional Medicaid office. You may need to call for an appointment first.

Contact Information for Louisiana Medicaid

You can contact Louisiana Medicaid with questions or to make changes to your eligibility status via phone or email. For customer service call 1-888-342-6207 or email MyMedicaid@la.gov.

For enrollment questions, contact Healthy Louisiana at 1-855-229-6848 or Healthy@la.gov.

You can find more information on the Louisiana Medicaid website as well.