Louisiana has roughly 230,000 foreign-born residents, and whether a specific immigrant qualifies for Louisiana Medicaid, branded Healthy Louisiana, depends on three things: immigration status, how long that status has been held, and household income relative to the 2026 federal poverty level. Louisiana expanded Medicaid in 2016 and covers adults at up to 138% FPL, but the state follows federal law on who counts as an eligible non-citizen. That federal law changed significantly when Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, with key immigrant-Medicaid provisions taking effect October 1, 2026.
Louisiana Medicaid is year-round with no enrollment window. Louisiana's self-service portal at sspweb.lameds.ldh.la.gov allows applications online any day of the year. This guide covers who qualifies by immigration status, the 2026 income limits by household size, the documents needed, and what changes when the October 1, 2026 restrictions take effect.
Quick Answer: Which Immigrants Qualify for Louisiana Medicaid in 2026?
Louisiana Medicaid eligibility for immigrants depends on immigration status. Green card holders (lawful permanent residents) qualify after five years at incomes below $22,032 per year for a single adult in 2026. COFA migrants and Cuban/Haitian entrants qualify without the five-year wait. As of October 1, 2026, federal law eliminates Medicaid funding for refugees and asylees who lack green cards. DACA recipients and undocumented immigrants qualify only for Emergency Medicaid. See the status-by-status breakdown in the table below.
Louisiana Medicaid eligibility by immigration status 2026| Immigration Status | Full Louisiana Medicaid? | Key Condition | Emergency Medicaid? |
|---|
| Lawful Permanent Resident (green card) | Yes: after 5-year bar | Must hold LPR status for 5 full years + income below 138% FPL | Yes |
| LPR child under 19 (CHIPRA 214 option) | Yes: no 5-year bar | Louisiana waived the 5-year bar for LPR children since Feb 1, 2019 | Yes |
| COFA migrant (Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau) | Yes: no 5-year bar | Compact of Free Association, no waiting period if income eligible | Yes |
| Cuban/Haitian entrant | Yes: no 5-year bar (retained after Oct 1, 2026) | Specific federal designation retained under OBBBA | Yes |
| Refugee (admitted before Oct 1, 2026) | Yes: limited window | Refugee Medical Assistance up to 4 months (ORR after May 5, 2025 rule); federal eligibility ends Oct 1, 2026 without green card | Yes |
| Asylee | Before Oct 1, 2026: Yes (no 5-year bar). After: No unless green card holder | OBBBA eliminates federal funding for asylees without green cards as of Oct 1, 2026 | Yes |
| Temporary Protected Status (TPS) | No | TPS is lawfully present but not a 'qualified' immigration category under federal Medicaid law | Yes |
| DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) | No | DACA recipients are not in a 'qualified immigrant' category for Medicaid; Louisiana does not offer a state-funded Medicaid alternative | Yes |
| Undocumented immigrant | No | Not eligible for any federal or Louisiana state Medicaid other than Emergency Medicaid for qualifying emergencies | Yes: Emergency Medicaid only |
OBBBA = One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21), signed July 4, 2025. Emergency Medicaid covers acute emergency medical conditions regardless of immigration status; it does not cover scheduled primary care, preventive care, or most specialty services. Sources: Medicaid.gov non-citizen eligibility overview, KFF OBBBA health provisions analysis, Louisiana Department of Health Medicaid Eligibility Manual I-300.
Source: Medicaid.gov, Louisiana Department of Health Medicaid Eligibility Manual, KFF Health Provisions in 2025 Reconciliation Law
Louisiana Medicaid Income Limits for Immigrant Applicants by Household Size (2026)
Louisiana is a Medicaid expansion state. Adults ages 19 to 64, including qualifying immigrants, who meet the immigration status requirements above qualify for Louisiana Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana) at up to 138% of the 2026 federal poverty level. Louisiana uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) to determine income eligibility. MAGI starts with your federal adjusted gross income and adds back untaxed Social Security income, tax-exempt interest, and foreign income. The following income does NOT count toward MAGI: child support received, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veterans disability compensation, and workers compensation.
Louisiana sets higher income limits for children and pregnant women. Children under 19 qualify at up to 212% FPL under CHIP (approximately $33,852 per year for a child in a single-person household equivalent). Pregnant women qualify at up to 194% FPL through the LaMOMS program (Louisiana Medicaid Obstetrics for Maternal Services). No asset test applies for any of these MAGI-based categories, Louisiana eliminated its asset test when it expanded Medicaid in 2016.
The Five-Year Bar: What Lawful Permanent Residents in Louisiana Need to Know
Louisiana follows the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) rule requiring most lawful permanent residents to wait five years after receiving green card status before qualifying for federal Medicaid. The five-year clock starts on the date the I-551 (green card) is issued, not on the date of entry into the United States. A Medicaid applicant who has held green card status for exactly five years by the date of application qualifies. There is no way to shorten the five-year waiting period in Louisiana, the state does not offer a state-funded bridge program for LPRs during their first five years.
Louisiana did elect the CHIPRA 214 option effective February 1, 2019, which waives the five-year bar for lawful permanent resident children under age 19. LPR children in Louisiana therefore qualify for Medicaid or CHIP immediately upon obtaining green card status, provided household income falls below the applicable threshold. This is a significant Louisiana-specific benefit for immigrant families: even if the adult parent must wait five years, their LPR children under 19 can enroll in Louisiana Medicaid right away.
Critical October 2026 Changes: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act and Louisiana Immigrants
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21), signed July 4, 2025, fundamentally narrows which immigrants can receive federally funded Medicaid. Effective October 1, 2026, federal Medicaid matching funds are available only for: U.S. citizens and nationals; lawful permanent residents (green card holders, subject to the five-year bar unless another exemption applies); Cuban and Haitian entrants under specific federal definitions; and COFA migrants from Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau. States may continue covering other groups (refugees, asylees, TPS holders) using solely state funds, but Louisiana has not announced a state-only continuation program for these groups.
Louisiana immigrants who held refugee or asylee status and were enrolled in Louisiana Medicaid before October 1, 2026 will lose federally supported coverage on that date unless they have since adjusted to lawful permanent resident status. Louisiana must provide advance notice and appeal rights before terminating anyone's coverage. If you are a refugee or asylee enrolled in Louisiana Medicaid and have not applied to adjust to green card status, consult a licensed immigration attorney immediately, adjusting to LPR status is the primary path to retaining Medicaid eligibility after October 1, 2026.
Is Louisiana a Medicaid Expansion State?
Louisiana expanded Medicaid under the ACA in July 2016 under Governor John Bel Edwards. Louisiana is one of 40 states (plus DC) that have expanded Medicaid. Louisiana Medicaid expansion covers adults ages 19 to 64 at up to 138% FPL with no asset test and no premium. For Louisiana immigrants who clear the immigration status and waiting period hurdles, the income threshold for a qualifying adult is $22,032 per year (single adult in 2026) or $45,540 for a family of four in 2026. Louisiana's expansion means qualifying immigrants do not need to belong to a specific population category (parent, disabled, pregnant) to access adult Medicaid, income and immigration status are the primary gates.
Emergency Medicaid in Louisiana: What Undocumented Immigrants and DACA Recipients Can Access
Louisiana offers Emergency Medicaid to individuals who meet income and residency requirements but do not meet immigration status requirements for full Medicaid. Emergency Medicaid covers the treatment of emergency medical conditions, defined as a condition that without immediate medical attention could place health or life in serious jeopardy, seriously impair bodily functions, or cause serious dysfunction of a body organ or part. In practice, Emergency Medicaid in Louisiana covers: emergency room visits for acute conditions; emergency surgery; acute inpatient hospitalization for medical emergencies; and labor, delivery, and immediate postpartum care. Emergency Medicaid does NOT cover: scheduled or elective care; primary care or preventive visits; outpatient mental health or substance use services; prescription drugs (outside of an inpatient admission); or dental care.
Louisiana does not have a state-funded full-scope Medicaid program for DACA recipients or undocumented immigrants. Several other states, including California (Medi-Cal), New York, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado, do offer state-funded comprehensive Medicaid coverage to DACA recipients or broader undocumented populations. Immigrants in Louisiana who fall into these non-qualifying categories should explore coverage through federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), which serve patients on a sliding-fee scale regardless of immigration or insurance status.
How to Appeal a Louisiana Medicaid Denial as an Immigrant
Louisiana must provide a written notice of denial with the specific reason before terminating or rejecting a Medicaid application. Immigrant applicants have 90 days from the date of the denial notice to request a state fair hearing through the Louisiana Department of Health. During the appeal, applicants may request continuation of existing benefits while the appeal is pending. Key appeal grounds for immigrant denials include: SAVE verification errors (the SAVE system sometimes fails to recognize recent status changes or adjusted statuses); incorrect application of the five-year bar start date; misclassification of immigration status; and failure to consider documentation submitted.
Louisiana immigrants facing a denial should contact the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services at (504) 529-1000 or the Acadiana Legal Services at (337) 237-4320 for free legal assistance with Medicaid appeals. The National Immigration Law Center at nilc.org also provides guidance on immigrant healthcare rights and has published advocacy tools for contesting SAVE verification errors at the state fair hearing level.
About Louisiana Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana) for Immigrant Families
Louisiana Medicaid is administered by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Bureau of Health Services Financing. The program is delivered primarily through managed care plans operating under the Healthy Louisiana brand. Qualifying enrollees choose one of five Healthy Louisiana managed care organizations, Aetna Better Health, AmeriHealth Caritas, AmeriHealth Caritas Pelican, Blue Cross Community Health Plans, and Healthy Blue, which coordinate primary care, specialist visits, hospital care, prescription drugs, and behavioral health. Louisiana Medicaid covers all required ACA Essential Health Benefits: preventive care, outpatient care, inpatient hospitalization, maternity care, mental health and SUD treatment, prescription drugs, lab and imaging, and pediatric services including dental and vision for children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a green card holder get Medicaid in Louisiana?
Yes, after five years. Lawful permanent residents (green card holders) who have held that status for at least five years qualify for Louisiana Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana) if household income is at or below 138% FPL, $22,032 per year for a single adult or $45,540 for a family of four in 2026. The five-year clock starts on the date the green card was issued, not the date of entry. LPR children under 19 are exempt from the five-year bar under Louisiana's CHIPRA 214 option (since February 2019).
What is the income limit for Louisiana Medicaid for a family of 4 in 2026?
The 2026 Louisiana Medicaid income limit for a family of four is $45,540 per year ($3,795 per month) for expansion adults ages 19 to 64. That is 138% of the 2026 federal poverty level. Income is counted using MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income), most income counts, but child support received, SSI, veterans disability, and workers compensation do not. No asset test applies.
Do refugees qualify for Louisiana Medicaid?
As of the date of this page (June 2026), refugees admitted before October 1, 2026 with active refugee status qualify for Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) for a limited initial period, up to 4 months for individuals with an ORR benefits eligibility date on or after May 5, 2025. After October 1, 2026, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminates federal Medicaid funding for refugees who have not adjusted to lawful permanent resident status. Refugees facing this cutoff should consult an immigration attorney about green card adjustment options immediately.
Can DACA recipients get Medicaid in Louisiana?
No. Louisiana Medicaid does not cover DACA recipients for full-scope benefits. DACA is not a 'qualified immigrant' status under federal Medicaid law. DACA recipients in Louisiana may access Emergency Medicaid for genuine acute emergencies (emergency room treatment, emergency surgery, labor and delivery). Louisiana does not offer a state-funded full Medicaid option for DACA recipients, unlike California, New York, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado.
What counts as income for Louisiana Medicaid (MAGI definition)?
Louisiana Medicaid uses Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). MAGI includes wages, salaries, self-employment income, rental income, alimony received (for divorces before January 1, 2019), taxable Social Security benefits, unemployment compensation, and foreign income. MAGI excludes child support received, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veterans disability payments, workers compensation, and non-taxable gifts or inheritances. Family size for MAGI is the tax filing unit plus dependents.
Does Louisiana have a state Medicaid option for immigrants who do not qualify federally?
No. Louisiana does not offer a state-funded Medicaid program for immigrants who fail the federal immigration status test (such as DACA recipients, TPS holders in their first five years, or undocumented immigrants). Immigrants who do not qualify for full Louisiana Medicaid should apply to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in Louisiana, which use sliding-fee scales. Search for Louisiana FQHCs at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
How long does the Louisiana Medicaid application take for immigrants?
Louisiana must process most Medicaid applications within 45 days. Applications requiring immigration status verification through the federal SAVE system may take longer if SAVE cannot instantly match the record, typically 5 to 10 additional business days. If SAVE verification is delayed beyond 10 business days, Louisiana must give the applicant a chance to submit additional documentation. The 45-day clock continues regardless of SAVE delays.
What happens to mixed-status households where some members qualify and others do not?
In mixed-status households, Louisiana evaluates each person separately. U.S. citizen children of undocumented parents qualify for Louisiana Medicaid based solely on the child's status and income, the parent's immigration status is not considered for the citizen child's eligibility. LPR children (under Louisiana's CHIPRA 214 option) also qualify independently. The undocumented parent in the same household does not qualify for full Louisiana Medicaid but may receive Emergency Medicaid coverage for their own emergencies.
