Louisiana offers Medicaid coverage to a broad range of residents, including low-income adults, children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. The state expanded Medicaid in 2016, which opened coverage to adults ages 19 through 64 earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level. That translates to a monthly income limit of $1,836 for an individual or $3,795 for a family of four.
Adults Ages 19 Through 64
Thanks to Medicaid expansion, adults without Medicare can qualify based on income alone. You don’t need to be a parent, pregnant, or disabled. The monthly income limits by household size are:
- 1 person: $1,836
- 2 people: $2,489
- 3 people: $3,142
- 4 people: $3,795
- 5 people: $4,449
- 6 people: $5,102
These figures come from the Louisiana Department of Health and are effective as of March 2026. If your household is larger than six, the limit increases by roughly $653 for each additional person. Louisiana uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) to determine eligibility, which means most adults won’t face an asset test. Your bank account balance and property value typically don’t factor in.
Children and the LaCHIP Program
Children qualify at significantly higher income levels than adults. Louisiana’s LaCHIP program covers children in families earning up to roughly 212% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the monthly income cap is $5,968. A family of three can earn up to $4,941 per month.
If your household income is slightly above that threshold, the LaCHIP Affordable Plan extends coverage even further. Under this plan, a family of four can earn up to $7,013 per month, and a family of three up to $5,806. The Affordable Plan may require small premiums or copays, but it still provides comprehensive health coverage for kids.
Children with disabilities have an even more generous income threshold through the Family Opportunity Act. A family of four can earn up to $8,250 per month and still qualify. This program is specifically designed so that families don’t have to choose between earning a living and keeping their child’s health coverage.
Pregnant Women and Postpartum Coverage
Louisiana’s LaMOMS program covers pregnant women with family income up to 138% of the federal poverty level (133% with a built-in 5% income disregard). For a single person, the monthly limit is $2,489. For a family of three, it’s $3,795.
One important detail: postpartum coverage lasts a full 12 months after the end of pregnancy. That 12-month clock starts on the last day of pregnancy and extends through the calendar month in which it ends. To qualify for this extended postpartum period, you must have been eligible for Medicaid at some point during your pregnancy, including any retroactive eligibility period. This is a significant expansion from the old 60-day postpartum window that many states previously offered.
Family Planning Services
Louisiana’s Take Charge Plus program provides family planning services to adults ages 19 through 64 who don’t qualify for full Medicaid. The income limits mirror the expansion group: $1,836 per month for an individual, $3,795 for a family of four. This program covers contraception, screenings, and related reproductive health services but not full medical coverage.
Seniors and People in Nursing Facilities
Medicaid can cover nursing home care and care in intermediate care facilities for people with intellectual disabilities. This program works differently from the income-based programs above. To qualify, you need a medical evaluation confirming that you require a facility level of care. The state’s Office of Aging and Adult Services (or its equivalent for developmental disabilities) must certify this need before admission.
The income cap for institutional care is set at three times the federal SSI benefit rate for an individual, and double that amount for a couple. Unlike the expansion group, this program does include a resource (asset) limit. Louisiana also has community-based waiver programs that allow people who would otherwise need nursing home care to receive services at home, though these often have waiting lists.
Medicare Savings Programs
If you’re already on Medicare, Louisiana Medicaid can help cover your out-of-pocket Medicare costs through three tiers of assistance:
- Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB): Covers Medicare premiums, copays, and deductibles. Individual income limit is $1,350 per month with resources under $9,950. For couples, the income limit is $1,824 with resources under $14,910.
- Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB): Covers Part B premiums. Individual income limit is $1,616 per month. Couples can earn up to $2,184.
- Qualifying Individual (QI): Also covers Part B premiums at a slightly higher income level. Individuals can earn up to $1,816, and couples up to $2,455.
All three programs share the same resource limits: $9,950 for individuals and $14,910 for couples.
Workers With Disabilities
The Medicaid Purchase Plan allows people with disabilities who are working to buy into Medicaid coverage even if their income would normally be too high. An individual can earn up to $2,660 per month, and a two-person household up to $3,607. This program exists so that returning to work doesn’t mean losing health coverage, which is a common barrier for people with disabilities.
Citizenship, Residency, and Immigration Status
To qualify for any Louisiana Medicaid program, you must be a Louisiana resident and either a U.S. citizen or a “qualified non-citizen,” a category that includes lawful permanent residents, refugees, and certain other immigration statuses. Non-citizens who don’t meet the qualified status can only receive Medicaid for emergency medical services. Pregnant women who are not qualified non-citizens may still be eligible for coverage through the LaCHIP Phase IV program.
Non-immigrants (people on temporary visas) generally cannot establish Louisiana residency and are not eligible for any Medicaid program, including emergency coverage. Children must also be Louisiana residents, even if they meet the “lawfully present” immigration standard.
How to Apply
You can apply for Louisiana Medicaid online through the Louisiana Department of Health’s enrollment system, by phone, or in person at a local Medicaid office. Louisiana recently launched a modernized eligibility system that can determine eligibility in real time for many applicants, meaning you may get a decision within minutes of submitting an online application rather than waiting weeks. For more complex cases, such as those involving disability determinations or nursing facility care, the process takes longer because medical evaluations and documentation reviews are required.
When you apply, you’ll need proof of income (pay stubs, tax returns, or a statement if you have no income), proof of identity, and documentation of citizenship or immigration status. Louisiana can verify much of this electronically, which speeds up the process. If you’re found eligible, coverage can be retroactive up to three months before your application date, as long as you would have qualified during that period and had medical expenses.