Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility

Medicaid offers health services for individuals and families who cannot afford private health insurance. Louisiana offers a comprehensive Medicaid program with several supplemental programs that cover nearly every medical need a family may face.

Coverage

• Basic Louisiana Medicaid covers routine checkups, doctors visits due to illness, rehabilitation therapy and emergency hospital visits. Medicaid recipients can also receive care at sexually transmitted disease clinics and substance abuse counseling centers. Medicaid covers immunizations for children and adults under 21, according to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.

Optional Programs

• Louisiana Medicaid offers several special-needs programs for qualifying individuals. The LaChip program provides medical care for uninsured children under the age of 19. The LaMoms program provides medical care for uninsured pregnant women. The Take Charge program offers family planning services, including birth control and annual exams, for single women in Louisiana. The Long Term Care program covers nursing facilities and physical therapy for senior citizens.

Prescription Drug Coverage

• Residents under the Medicaid program can receive most prescription drugs with co-pays ranging from 50 cents to $3. The Medicaid program does not cover cosmetic drugs, over-the-counter medication, most narcotics, fertility drugs or experimental drugs, according to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. Some optional Medicaid programs may cover other types of prescriptions. For example, the Take Charge program covers the cost of fertility medicines.

Eligibility

• Any resident who receives Supplemental Security Income or financial assistance through the Family of Independence Temporary Assistance Program automatically qualifies for Medicaid, according to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. Other individuals may qualify if they are low-income, disabled, blind or have children under the age of 19 who are uninsured. Supplemental programs offered by Medicaid, such as LaChip or LaMoms, have special eligibility requirements.

Applying

• Individuals and families who are not automatically eligible for Medicaid can apply at a Medicaid office or Medicaid application center. The applicant will need to fill out an application and may be required to complete an in-person or telephone interview. Applicants may also need to provide their caseworkers with bank statements, proof of insurance or disability information.