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Louisiana Medicaid Programs

Everyone needs good health care, but many low-income families are unable to afford the cost of private health insurance and cannot pay for medical expenses out-of-pocket. The Medicaid program helps low-income individuals who qualify cover the cost of their medical expenses. Louisiana residents who do not qualify for the traditional Medicaid program may qualify for other specialized Medicaid programs such as Take Charge or LaCHIP.

  1. Medicaid

    • Medicaid provides several types of medical services free of charge or at a reduced cost. Some of Medicaid's services include basic health checkups, hospital visits, immunizations, nursing home care and hospice care. Some Medicaid programs cover the cost of prescription drugs. Medicaid also includes dental services. To qualify for Medicaid, a person must be low-income and meet health requirements. For example, pregnant women may qualify for the program. People with a disability such as blindness may also qualify for Medicaid.

    LaCHIP

    • LaCHIP provides free or discounted health coverage to children under 19 years old. LaCHIP has two programs. The traditional no-cost program provides free health checkups, immunizations and hospital visits for children from qualified families. To qualify, a family must meet income requirements. For example, a family of four can have no more than $3,675 in income each month, according to the Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program. The second program, LaCHIP Affordable, provides discounted health care for children from families who make too much to qualify for the traditional program but still struggle with the cost of health care.

    LaMOMS

    • LaMOMS provides free medical coverage for pregnant women who do not qualify for traditional Medicaid, but cannot afford private health care coverage. Under the program, a pregnant woman will receive free health care related to her pregnancy. This includes doctor's visits, prescription costs, lab work and the cost of the hospital stay during delivery. LaMOMS will also cover the cost of medical care for the new mother for up to 60 days after delivery, according to the Louisiana Bureau of Health Services Financing.

    Take Charge

    • Take Charge provides free women's health services to Louisiana residents age 19 to 44, according to the Louisiana Bureau of Health Services Financing. Low-income women who do not qualify for traditional Medicaid but cannot afford traditional health care insurance may qualify for this program. Under the Take Charge program, women can receive annual physical exams, birth control services and family planning services through any doctor or provider who accepts the Take Charge card.

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