Medicaid Office in Louisiana

How the Louisiana Department of Health Runs Medicaid

Medicaid in Louisiana is run by the Louisiana Department of Health, known as LDH, with federal funding and oversight from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The program covers children, pregnant women, parents, older adults, people with disabilities, and, since July 2016, low-income adults under the state's Medicaid expansion. This page lists twelve Medicaid office locations in nine cities, from Baton Rouge in the capital region to Oberlin in Allen Parish. Use the listings to find a nearby office, then read on to learn what each office can and cannot do for you.

One note on names first. Louisiana has parishes, not counties, but our directory uses county-style web addresses in every state. When you see East Baton Rouge Parish County or Evangeline County, read them as East Baton Rouge Parish and Evangeline Parish. The offices are the same ones state maps show under the parish name.

Most members receive care through Healthy Louisiana, the state's managed care system. LDH decides who qualifies. A contracted health plan then pays doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies. Keeping those roles apart clears up many frustrations. An eligibility question, such as a missing renewal or a change in income, goes to a Medicaid office. A question about a network doctor or a denied claim goes to your health plan.

Other agencies cover related needs. The Department of Children and Family Services handles SNAP food benefits and cash assistance. Medicare comes from the federal government through Social Security. Medicaid is a separate application with its own income rules, so approval for one program does not guarantee approval for another.

Where to Find a Medicaid Office in Louisiana's Parishes

LDH groups parishes into nine administrative regions. The twelve offices in this directory are concentrated in a few places. Metro areas have more than one site, while rural parishes often rely on a single one.

Three Baton Rouge Offices in the Capital Region

The state capital has the most listings. The Baton Rouge Louisiana Medicaid Office is at 1201 Capitol Access Road, phone 225-342-5774. The Baton Rouge LA Medicaid Office is at 543 Spanish Town Road, phone 225-342-9250. A third, listed as Louisiana Baton Rouge Medicaid Office, is at 2521 Wooddale Boulevard, phone 225-925-6505. All three fall within East Baton Rouge Parish County. With three locations, it is worth calling first to ask which one handles your type of case.

Houma and Thibodaux in the Bayou Parishes

In the bayou region, the Houma Louisiana Medicaid Office is at 5593 Louisiana 311, phone 985-873-2030. It serves Terrebonne County. Thibodaux has two listings in Lafourche County. The Thibodaux LA Medicaid Office is at 1000 Plantation Road, phone 985-449-5163. The Thibodaux Louisiana Medicaid Office is at 1222 Tiger Drive, phone 985-449-5161.

Hurricane Ida struck this region in 2021. Families who lost paperwork or moved temporarily may still need help updating addresses and replacing documents. Call before you drive, since hours and services can shift after storms.

Acadiana, Central Louisiana, and Natchitoches

The Lafayette Louisiana Medicaid Office, at 825 Kaliste Saloom Road, phone 337-262-5111, anchors Acadiana in Lafayette County. Farther down Bayou Teche, the New Iberia Louisiana Medicaid Office at 1217 Adrian Street lists a toll-free number, 877-252-2447, for Iberia Parish. Rural Evangeline and Allen parishes each have one listing. Ville Platte is at 1008 West Lasalle Street, phone 337-363-5653, and Oberlin is at 213 North 1st Street, phone 337-639-4173. Small-town offices like these can save a long drive to Lafayette when your case is simple.

In central Louisiana, the Alexandria Louisiana Medicaid Office at 3600 Jackson Street, phone 318-487-5728, serves Rapides County. Alexandria is the parish seat and the main city for the surrounding area. The Natchitoches Louisiana Medicaid Office is at 430 Dixie Street, phone 318-357-2466, in Natchitoches County. Natchitoches was founded in 1714, and its office serves a mix of town and rural households.

Who Qualifies for Medicaid in Louisiana and What to Bring

Louisiana expanded Medicaid on July 1, 2016. Adults aged 19 through 64 can qualify when household income is at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level and they do not receive Medicare. Children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and people with disabilities follow separate rules. Applicants must live in Louisiana and be U.S. citizens or have qualifying immigration status.

Income limits change with household size and with the yearly federal poverty guidelines. Ask the office for current figures rather than relying on an old number. Applying costs nothing. Gather these items before your visit:

• Photo ID for the adult applying
• Social Security numbers for everyone in the household who is applying
• Proof of Louisiana residency, such as a lease or utility bill
• Recent pay stubs, benefit letters, or other proof of income
• Immigration documents, if you are not a U.S. citizen
• Current health insurance cards, if you have any

Long-term care and nursing home coverage use additional asset and income tests. Families in that situation should call before visiting, because those cases take longer and need more records.

Planning a Medicaid Office Visit in Louisiana

Call ahead. Office hours, walk-in policies, and the services each site offers can change, and the phone numbers listed above are the quickest way to confirm. Ask whether you need an appointment and which documents the worker will want to copy.

You do not have to visit at all to start. Louisiana accepts applications online, by phone, and by mail. An office helps most when you have missing documents, a changed household, or a notice you do not understand. Residents of Allen, Evangeline, and Iberia parishes may find a phone call faster than a drive.

Keep copies of every form and ask for a dated receipt when you hand in paperwork. After approval, watch your mail. LDH sends renewal packets and requests for information, and a missed deadline is a common reason coverage ends. Report address, income, and household changes promptly. If you disagree with a denial, the notice explains how to ask for a fair hearing, and the deadline printed on it is firm.

Choosing a Healthy Louisiana Plan After Approval

Once approved, most members choose a Healthy Louisiana health plan. Plans in the program have included Aetna Better Health of Louisiana, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, Healthy Blue, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. Before choosing, check that your doctor, hospital, and pharmacy accept the plan. Rural residents should also look at how far the nearest in-network specialist is. A Medicaid office can explain how enrollment works, but the plan itself handles provider networks, prior authorizations, and claims.

Medicaid in Louisiana is administered by the state health and human services agency, providing health coverage for eligible low-income residents through a combination of fee-for-service and managed care delivery systems tailored to the state's population needs.

Medicaid Office locations are available in 9 cities across Louisiana. They are spread across 9 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Baton Rouge, Thibodaux, Ville Platte, which have the largest Medicaid caseloads in the state and dedicated eligibility offices to serve high-need urban populations.

Residents of Louisiana can apply for Medicaid online through the state's health benefits portal or health exchange, by calling the Medicaid agency's toll-free number, or by visiting a local eligibility office with the required documentation.

Residents of Louisiana who currently receive Medicaid should complete their annual renewal on time to avoid a gap in coverage. Most states send renewal notices by mail and email, and online renewal is typically the fastest method to maintain uninterrupted healthcare coverage.

Browse Medicaid Office by county across Louisiana to find the nearest location.

Louisiana Medicaid Help Beyond the Office Counter

A Medicaid office is only one piece of the system in Louisiana. Many questions are settled by phone, mail, or an online account, and the nearest office may be a parish or two away. Plan for that distance, especially in places like Oberlin, Ville Platte, and Natchitoches, where a trip can mean a long drive.

Storms shape casework here. After Hurricane Ida in 2021, many families in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes had to replace documents and update addresses. If you evacuated or moved, tell LDH your new mailing address right away. Notices sent to an old address can cost you coverage without you ever seeing them.

Renewals also matter more than they once did. The federal continuous-coverage rule ended in 2023, and Medicaid households now face regular reviews again. Treat any LDH envelope as time-sensitive, open it the day it arrives, and respond before the date printed inside. If you doubt a letter is genuine, call the office number listed for your area on this page. You should never have to pay anyone to apply, because applications are free.

Hospitals, community health centers, and legal aid groups also have staff who help with applications. Bringing that help to your visit can save time.

Louisiana Medicaid Questions Answered