Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Shares Tips to Stay Covered as First Medicaid Program Removals Begin

BATON ROUGE, La. – The state will start removing Louisianians who no longer qualify for Medicaid from the program on July 1. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is sharing tips to help them find affordable health plans.  
 
“If the state let you know that you don’t qualify for Medicaid anymore, it’s very important that you stay covered,” said Blue Cross Healthcare Economist Mike Bertaut. “You don’t want to delay any care you need or have to pay for it out of pocket. The good news is that you can find a quality health plan at an affordable price.” 

Bertaut recommends Louisianians losing Medicaid coverage follow these tips to sign up for a new health plan: 

• Check with your employer to see if they offer health insurance coverage. You can ask your Human Resources department about plan options. 

• Look for a Healthcare.gov plan if your employer does not offer health insurance or you don’t qualify. More people can now get financial aid to buy these plans at a very low cost.

• Work with an agent at no cost and no obligation to buy. People who need to find a Healthcare.gov plan can work with a licensed, experienced agent. The agent can go over your plan choices with you. They can explain things that are different on these plans, like provider networks, how prescription drugs are covered, and what your out-of-pocket costs could be. An agent can help you figure out how much financial aid you qualify for. 

How you can connect with an agent: 

• Call 1-844-GET-BLUE (TTY 711)
• Visit GetPlanOptions.com 
• Use this online tool from Louisiana Department of Insurance to find an agent near you

Bertaut shares more about how to stay covered in this interview with WWL-TV’s “Great Day Louisiana.” (6:09)

Follow Blue Cross on social media @BCBSLA to see more about how to stay covered. You can like and share these posts on your personal social media channels to raise awareness. Blue Cross posts regularly on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. 

Visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana YouTube channel to see short videos on various health topics. Subscribe to know when new videos are added. 

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is committed to our mission to improve the health and lives of Louisianians. Founded in New Orleans in 1934, we are a tax-paying nonprofit health insurer with offices in every major region to serve our customers. We have been recognized for the past five years as an honoree of The Civic 50, named by Points of Light as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.  

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We are a private mutual company, owned by our policyholders, with an independent Louisiana Board of Directors and no shareholders. We invite all Louisianians to visit our website at www.bcbsla.com or talk to us on social media @BCBSLA.