Louisiana Health Insurance Companies |
|
|
| Learn more about each insurance carrier here: Aetna, CoventryOne, Golden Rule, Humana |
| See an inventory of Louisiana Health Insurance Plans. |
| Compare health insurance quotes from nearby states: Texas Health Insurance, Arkansas Health Insurance |
Louisiana Health Insurance |
In the state of Louisiana, the cost of health insurance has risen 85.4% in the past six years and the number of uninsured has reached approximately 614,040 which is 24% of the Louisiana population according to statehealthfacts.org. Statistics like these make it essential for people to research and find the best fitting and most affordable health insurance plan for them.
Whether you can buy an individual health insurance policy may depend on your health status, the type of coverage you want to buy, and other circumstances such as pre-existing conditions. In Louisiana, medical underwriting is allowed without restriction which is the process a health insurance company goes through to assess the health status of individuals and use such information to determine if the insurance company wants to accept an application. Regarding pre-existing conditions, Louisiana health insurance companies can review your medical history for the last 12 months before coverage begins. If a pre-existing condition does exist, the health insurance coverage can be excluded for up to 12 months.
High Risk Pool
There is a high risk pool in Louisiana called LHIA. To be eligible for coverage, you must be a Louisiana resident for six consecutive months and not be covered by, or eligible for, other health insurance coverage, which includes group or COBRA coverage. Medicare or Medicaid recipients are not eligible for coverage by LHIA. Applicants must have a minimum of two written denials of health insurance coverage within one year of the date of application in order to be eligible for the pool.
Coverage under LHIA includes the following:
- doctor visits
- prescription drugs
- outpatient and in-hospital care
- Ambulance
- labs and x-rays
- skilled nursing care
- home health visits
- Transplants
- Rehabilitation
- durable medical equipment
- physical, speech and occupational therapy
- vision care
- preventive care
|
Louisiana Group & Small Business (3-35 employees) Health Insurance |
If you are looking for group or small business health insurance in Louisiana you should be aware that like individual health insurance, medical underwriting is allowed within group and small business insurance as well. Medical underwriting is allowed with a variance of plus or minus 35% of the indexed rate based on the health status of the group. Companies can review your medical history for the past 6 months prior to coverage and health insurance coverage can be excluded up to 12 months based on any pre-existing conditions.
Louisiana health insurance companies must sell small business health insurance to any small business. Qualifying Louisiana small businesses must be offered the same health insurance sold to other Louisiana small business. To be eligible a small business must have employees totaling between 2 and 50. Federal HIPAA law applies. Employees must meet a minimum level of participation in order to qualify for Louisiana small business health insurance. Depending upon the health insurance company, a percentage of employees (generally 75% not covered elsewhere) must purchase the policy or the Louisiana small business health insurance policy and remain on it, or maintain that percentage or the policy will be terminated. Employers generally are required to contribute a certain amount toward employee's premiums before the Louisiana health insurance company agrees to sell the group a policy. If both requirements are met, Louisiana health insurance companies must sell health insurance to any small business that applies.
|
Louisiana COBRA Health Coverage |
Louisiana does offer COBRA, the Consolidate Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. To qualify for COBRA, you must meet the following three criteria:
- You must work for an employer with 20 or more employees. If you work for an employer with 2-19 employees, you may qualify for Louisiana State Continuation Coverage. You can contact the Louisiana Department of Insurance if this applies to you.
-
You must be covered under the employer’s group health plan as an employee or as the spouse or dependent child of an employee.
-
You must have a qualifying event that would cause you to lose your group coverage.
|
Medicaid in Louisiana |
Medicaid is a program that provides health coverage to some low-income Louisiana residents. Medicaid covers families with children and pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities if the following state and federal guidelines are met.
Income requirements:
Covered Services
Outpatient, rural health clinic, Federally Qualified Health Centers, laboratory and x-ray, nursing home, physician services, early periodic screening diagnosis and treatment, family planning, clinic services, prescription drugs, case management, medical transportation, nurse-midwife services, extended services to pregnant women, and ambulatory prenatal care.
Co-Payments
There are no co-payments. |
Other Louisiana Health Insurance Programs |
Louisiana offers LaCHIP to children under the age of 19 who are Louisiana residents, are not covered by any other insurance, and whose family incomes are up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Please visit the LaCHIP website for more detailed information at www.dhh.state.la.us/offices/?ID=119 |
Health Insurance From 100 Companies
