Louisiana Health Insurance

The Pelican State offers Marketplace plans from four companies in 2022 If you miss open enrollment, you can still enroll if you have a qualifying life event.

What You Need to Know

Four insurance carriers offer individual and family plans for the 2022 Open Enrollment Period.

Low- to moderate-income households can apply for Obamacare subsidies or Medicaid.

Short-term health insurance is another option if you’re having a coverage gap between jobs or before Medicare eligibility.

Louisiana Health Insurance Overview

If you’re looking for low-cost health insurance, Louisiana has public and private options to meet your needs. More than a quarter of the population has coverage through the publicly-funded Medicaid program.¹ Among those enrolled in private Obamacare plans, nine in 10 get subsidies to lower their monthly premiums.²

Here’s a summary of Louisiana’s health insurance market.

Louisiana and the Affordable Care Act

One of the most significant provisions of the Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare) was allowing states to expand Medicaid to low-income adults without children. 

Nearly 598,600 childless adults in Louisiana gained coverage since the state accepted Medicaid expansion in 2015.³

Louisiana Health Insurance for Individuals, Families, and Self-Employed Entrepreneurs

ACA health insurance in Louisiana is available to individuals and families. If you’re self-employed and have no employees, you qualify for individual coverage.

You can choose from any metal plan (bronze, silver, gold, or platinum) available in your area. Policies cover a percentage of your healthcare costs. For instance, bronze plans pay the least (60%) for covered care but have cheaper monthly premiums. Platinum plans, on the other hand, pay for 90% of covered costs but have the highest premiums.

All metal plans provide major medical coverage that includes essential health benefits, such as prescription drug coverage, outpatient services, and free preventive care. Plans are also required to offer dental and vision benefits to children.

Enrolling in Obamacare guarantees that you can’t be denied a policy because of your health. Plans must also cover any preexisting conditions.

We cover how to enroll in Obamacare below.

Louisiana Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment

Louisiana has a federally-facilitated marketplace. So, residents use Healthcare.gov to enroll in Obamacare plans. Nearly 77,000 people signed up during the 2021 Open Enrollment Period (OEP).⁴  

The 2022 Open Enrollment Period begins on November 1, 2021 and ends January 15, 2022 for 2022 coverage.

Outside of the OEP, you can only enroll if you have a qualifying life event such as marriage or childbirth.

Health Insurance Companies in Louisiana

Four Louisiana health insurance companies offer Marketplace plans for 2022:⁵

1. CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana⁶
2. HMO Louisiana 
3. Louisiana Health Service & Indemnity Company (aka Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Louisiana)⁷
4. Vantage Health Plan

How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in Louisiana?

Louisiana health insurance premiums for Marketplace plans are higher in 2021 than the previous year.

Here’s a look at Louisiana premiums rates from 2020 to 2021:

• Average lowest-cost bronze premium: $408 in 2022; $410 in 2021; $376 in 2020
• Average lowest-cost silver premium: $512 in 2022; $502 in 2021; $467 in 2020
• Average lowest-cost gold premium: $609 in 2022; $614 in 2021; $571 in 2020     

Obamacare Subsidies for Louisianans

Before 2021, you could get a premium tax credit, or subsidy, to help pay for health insurance if you earned between one to four times of the federal poverty level.

In 2021, the federal government expanded subsidies and removed the income cap for them. For two years, you would pay no more than 8.5% of your annual household income on health insurance based on the price of the benchmark plan. The federal government would cover the balance through subsidies. 

Ninety-one percent of Louisiana Marketplace enrollees received subsidies in 2020.8 The average amount was $566 per month. 

Medicaid for Low-Income Louisiana Adults and Children

More than a third (1.7 million) of Louisiana’s 4.5 million residents earned less than 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL).⁹ For a single person in 2021 that upper limit equals $25,760.¹⁰

Consequently, a sizable percentage (28%) of the population have Medicaid. About 1.6 million residents enrolled as of April 2021.¹¹

You qualify for Medicaid in Louisiana if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or get help through the state’s Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP).

Others who may qualify include:

• Children under 19: Coverage is provided through Louisiana’s children’s health insurance program called LaCHIP
• Low-income parents of children under 19
• Pregnant women
• Blind adults and those with disabilities 
• Childless adults under 65 who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL)
• Low-income individuals who receive Medicare (typically those 65 and older)

Louisiana has different income limits to qualify for Medicaid. For example, parents, pregnant women, and childless adults can make up to  $17,774 per year for a single person in 2021 (138% of the FPL)¹². Meanwhile, seniors and people with disabilities can earn up to  $9,531 a year for an individual in 2021 (74% of the FPL).¹³ 

Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Programs

The Pelican State offers two programs for uninsured children under 19: the Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP) and the LaCHIP Affordable Plan. Both programs offer the same benefits, which include hospital care, doctor visits, vaccines, and prescription drug coverage. 

About 146,000 residents were enrolled, as of April 2021.¹⁴

LaCHIP is available at no monthly cost to eligible children from low-income families. The income limit is up to $4,793 for a family of four or 217% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Children whose parents earn too much will instead qualify for the LaCHIP Affordable Plan. The income limit increases to $5,632 for a family of four (255% of the FPL). The plan charges a $50 monthly premium per household. However, there are no monthly premiums if at least one child is an Alaskan Native or a member of a federally-recognized Native American tribe. 

Louisiana Medicare for Seniors and Younger Adults With Disabilities 

Medicare is a federal government health insurance program generally for people 65 and older. But younger adults with disabilities can also qualify. In Louisiana, eight out of every 10 Medicare enrollees qualify due to age.¹⁵

Almost 885,000 Louisianans are enrolled in Medicare. The majority (66%) get benefits directly through the federal government’s Original Medicare program. The rest get coverage from private Medicare Advantage plans. Both options include Part A hospital and Part B medical insurance. But Medicare Advantage offers extra benefits, such as Part D prescription drug coverage. 

Original Medicare offers limited drug coverage. So many Louisiana beneficiaries (about 351,000 in 2018) buy a separate Part D plan. These plans are sold by private insurers. 

Private companies also sell Medicare Supplement plans (called Medigap) to Original Medicare enrollees. Policies help pay some to all of your covered out-of-pocket costs, including copayments and deductibles. 

Louisiana Short-Term Health Insurance If You’re In Between Jobs or Have a Gap in Coverage 

Many life events can leave you in a coverage gap. Transitioning to a new job or losing coverage through a spouse’s or parent’s health plan are some of the reasons. 

You can get short-term health insurance in Louisiana from 60 to 184 days.¹⁶ Short-term health plans offer benefits for things like doctor’s visits and emergency care. But they’re not the same as ACA-qualified plans that provide comprehensive coverage. This usually makes the monthly price cheaper. But you may be denied a policy due to your health history.

Next Steps

That’s why you should compare all your Louisiana health insurance options. Doing so can help you choose the right coverage for your needs and budget.