What is changing for Healthy Blue Medicaid members?
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) says Healthy Blue will not be available to Medicaid members beginning January 1, 2027. LDH says this does not change anyone's Medicaid eligibility, and members of the other four plans do not need to do anything.
- Choose online at myplan.healthy.la.gov, by phone at 855-229-6848 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or in the Healthy Louisiana app.
- The four remaining plans are Aetna Better Health, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, Humana Healthy Horizons in Louisiana and Louisiana Healthcare Connections.
- If you do not choose, LDH assigns you a plan. It says it will try to keep families together and keep members in a plan that includes their doctors.
- LDH says that for at least 60 days your new plan cannot say no to your prior authorized care, even if your doctor is not in its network.
- You can get your new card as a digital ID in the LA Wallet app.
- October 1, 2026Healthy Blue's member letter about plan options and deadlines is due to arrive by mail by this date.
- October 15, 2026A special enrollment period opens, only for Healthy Blue members.
- November 16, 2026The special enrollment period ends. Members who choose by this date start with the new plan on January 1.
- December 31, 2026Healthy Blue's Medicaid contract ends at 11:59 p.m. Members stay with Healthy Blue until then.
- January 1, 2027Members move to the plan they chose, or to a plan LDH assigned. New plans mail welcome packets and ID cards by December.
Source: Louisiana Department of Health
LDH says this change applies only to Medicaid members enrolled with Healthy Blue. It does not affect private Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana coverage.
What else is changing in Louisiana Medicaid?
NOLA.com reports that Louisiana did not renew its Medicaid contract with UnitedHealthcare in December 2025, so the state goes from six Medicaid plans to four. It reports that 1.2 million people were enrolled in Healthy Louisiana as of August, with about 357,000 in Louisiana Healthcare Connections.
- Look up your doctors, hospital and pharmacy in the directory of each plan you are considering.
- Ask each plan whether your specialists and any ongoing treatment are covered.
- If you get Medicaid and Medicare, tell your Medicare plan if your Medicaid plan changes.
NOLA.com also reported a contract dispute between Louisiana Healthcare Connections and Ochsner Health, which says it serves more than 70,000 of that plan's members each year. On October 15, 2026, Ochsner announced it had reached an agreement with the plan, so Louisiana Healthcare Connections members can continue to get in network care from Ochsner physicians and hospitals.
Healthinsurance.org says a work requirement applies to expanded Medicaid in Louisiana starting in 2027. It can be met by working, volunteering or attending school or job training at least 80 hours a month, or by earning at least $580 a month. Ask LDH how it applies to you.
Which Medicare Advantage plans does Ochsner list?
Ochsner publishes the Medicare Advantage plans it accepts in Louisiana. A plan that is not on Ochsner's list is not listed, so ask Ochsner and the plan before you enroll.
| Plan company | Plans Ochsner lists |
|---|---|
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana | Blue Advantage (HMO) and Blue Advantage (PPO) |
| Humana | Humana Select Partner Plan, Humana Gold Plus (HMO), Humana Choice Regional PPO, Humana Gold Plus Diabetes & Heart (HMO SNP) and Humana Gold Plus SNP DE (HMO SNP) Medicare & Medicaid |
| Peoples Health, a UnitedHealthcare company | Listed |
| Aetna, UnitedHealthcare and Wellcare of Louisiana | Listed only for Ochsner Lafayette General, not for New Orleans area hospitals |
Humana LCMC Advantage (HMO) is a Humana plan whose 2027 Evidence of Coverage lists Jefferson, Orleans and St. Charles parishes as its service area. The Evidence of Coverage does not list hospitals, so check the plan's provider directory for the hospitals and doctors you use.
What does one New Orleans area plan cost for 2027?
These figures come from the 2027 Evidence of Coverage for Humana LCMC Advantage (HMO). They describe one plan, not every plan, and benefits change each January 1.
| Measure | 2027 |
|---|---|
| Monthly plan premium | $0 |
| Maximum out of pocket for Part A and Part B services | $2,875 |
| Primary care office visit | $0 copayment |
| Specialist office visit | $5 copayment |
| Inpatient hospital stay | $65 copayment per day for days 1 to 10 |
| Medicare Part B premium reduction | Humana pays up to $51 a month |
Medicare's annual enrollment period is October 15 to December 7, 2026. A Medicare plan picked by December 7 starts January 1, and if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan you can make one change from January 1 to March 31, 2027.
If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, a dual eligible plan can coordinate the two. Healthy Blue says it has served Medicaid and Medicare dual eligible members since 2017 with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. We did not find a statement about how the Medicaid change affects those members' Medicare plans, so ask the plan.
Which marketplace insurers sell plans in Louisiana for 2027?
Healthinsurance.org reports six insurers on Louisiana's marketplace for 2027, with an overall average approved rate change of 18.1% before subsidies. Rate changes are not the price you pay if you get a premium tax credit.
| Insurer | Approved average change before subsidies |
|---|---|
| Ambetter from Louisiana Healthcare Connections | 24.5% |
| UnitedHealthcare | 21.1% |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana | 14.4% |
| HMO Louisiana (Louisiana Blue) | 13.7% |
| CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana | 13.4% |
| AmeriHealth Caritas | 10.5% |
Plans are sold on HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment begins November 1, 2026, and a plan picked by December 15, 2026 starts January 1, 2027. Each insurer sets its own coverage area, so the list you see depends on where you live.
How many people in Orleans Parish use the marketplace?
| Measure | Orleans Parish | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| People who picked a plan | 38,329 | 296,648 |
| Received a premium tax credit | 88.0% | 90.5% |
| Average monthly premium before credits | $675 | $759 |
| Average monthly premium after credits | $154 | $144 |
| Paid $10 a month or less after credits | 27.1% | 33.2% |
| Picked a bronze plan | 56.5% | 56.9% |
| Picked a gold plan | 4.0% | 5.2% |
Orleans Parish had a higher average premium after credits than the state and fewer people paying $10 a month or less. These are 2026 numbers, and your 2027 price depends on your income, your household and the plans sold where you live.
Census estimates put Orleans Parish, which has the same boundaries as New Orleans, at 362,154 residents, with 18.1% age 65 or older compared with 18.8% in Louisiana. In the parish 10.2% of residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, compared with 8.5% in the state, and 9.0% of people under 65 have no health insurance, compared with 9.9% in the state.
What should I do before the deadlines?
The deadlines depend on which coverage you have, so match yours to the list.
- Healthy Blue Medicaid members: choose a new plan by November 16, 2026, or LDH assigns one.
- Medicare members: compare plans by December 7, 2026. Your plan's 2027 directory and drug list show whether your doctors and medicines are included.
- Marketplace members: pick a plan by December 15, 2026 for coverage that starts January 1, 2027.
- Ask each plan about your hospital, your doctors and your pharmacy, and do not assume a network change opens a special enrollment period.
A change to your plan can look small on paper and change which doctors you can see, so compare the directories before you decide.
How can an agent help in New Orleans?
Healthy Louisiana plan choices go through LDH's enrollment tools above. An agent can help with Medicare and marketplace choices: compare plans from more than one company, look up your doctors and hospital in each directory and check your prescriptions. Have your insurance card, your doctors' names and your prescriptions ready.
Health Insurance Solutions agents are licensed in 22 states and help by phone and online. Marketplace plans cost the same with or without an agent, so the comparison does not add to your premium.
Insurers and hospitals mentioned
Explore the organizations or brands discussed in this article. A mention does not mean every plan or location is covered.
- Insurer · LouisianaAmbetter from Louisiana Healthcare Connections
- Insurer · LouisianaBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
- Insurer · LouisianaCHRISTUS Health Plan
- Insurer · LouisianaHMO Louisiana
- Insurer · LouisianaUnitedHealthcare
- Medicare Advantage · LouisianaBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
- Medicare Advantage · LouisianaHealthy Blue
- Medicare Advantage · LouisianaHumana
- Medicare Advantage · LouisianaPeoples Health
- Medicare Advantage · LouisianaUnitedHealthcare
- Medicare Advantage · LouisianaWellcare
- Small-group insurer · LouisianaUnitedHealthcare Insurance Company
- Small-group insurer · LouisianaUnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of the River Va
- Small-group insurer · LouisianaUnitedHealthcare of Louisiana, Inc.
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