Louisiana Health Insurance

How healthy is living in Louisiana?

Louisiana was ranked 47th of the 50 states in the United Health Foundation's 2009 ranking of the healthiest states.

The good news:

• The state showed improvement in the area of preventable hospitalizations, which decreased by 11 percent over a year's time. did have positive changes to report over the previous year, including – most notably – a 37 percent increase in the amount of public health funding per person (from $69 to $95) and an increase in access to primary care physicians.
• The state's best ranking was in the category of immunization coverage, with 83 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months reported immunized.
• The prevalence of smoking has also falledn by 23 percent over the past five years.

The bad news:

• In 11 categories, Louisiana was ranked among the bottom 10 states – and 7 of those were in the bottom five.
• Since 1990, the prevalence of obesity in Lousiana has increased dramatically – up 135 percent – to its current level (of 28.9 percent of the population).
• The state's worst ratings were 49th for premature death (years of potential life lost prior to age 75), for a low rate of high school graduation, a high rate of infant mortality and for a high number of deaths due to all types of cancer.

The state's best and worst category rankings:

• Immunization coverage – 5th
• Poor mental health days – 6th
• Prevalence of binge drinking – 14th
• Public health funding – 16th
• Occupational fatalities – 44th
• Children in poverty – 44th
• Violent crime – 45th
• Cardiovascular deaths – 46th
• Lack of health insurance – 47th
• Infectious disease – 47th
• Preventable hospitalizations – 47th
• Infant mortality – 49th
• High school graduation – 49th
• Cancer deaths – 49th
• Premature death – 49th

See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Louisiana.

Does Louisiana have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

Louisiana Health Plan
Toll-free 1-800-736-0947 or (504) 926-6245

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Louisiana will offer health coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about Louisiana's participation, click here.

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.

Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in Louisiana

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in Louisiana and all other states.
• Its guide on how to find health insurance in Louisiana.
• Materiales En Español – Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.

Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in Louisiana

Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations help fund its research. Learn more about the Health Policy Institute.

Review Georgetown's guide for Louisiana.

USNews health insurance rankings for Louisiana

US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in Louisiana.

Official State Goverment Sites with Louisiana Health Insurance Information

Louisiana Department of Insurance/Health Insurance-- has descriptions of specific divisions and programs within the Department of Insurance that specifically deal with health insurance issues-- each listing has several contacts listed.

• The department publishes this PDF consumer guide to individual health insurance in Louisiana.
• The Senior Health Insurance Information Program is for Louisiana residents who have reached retirement age.
• File a complaint against an insurance company doing business in Louisana. Here's a PDF guide on how to file a complaint.

Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals A 2005 report in PDF on health insurance in Louisiana. Get summary. Get full report.

Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP) provides no-cost health insurance to low-income children, including dental care. Includes doctor charges, hospitalization, immunization and other services.