Cheapest Louisiana Health Insurance (2023 Plans)

In Louisiana, different metal tier plans have varying rates, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. Blue Cross Blue Shield offers the cheapest Expanded Bronze plans, Gold plans, Silver PPO plans and Silver POS plans. UnitedHealthCare provides the cheapest Silver EPO plan.

If you are looking to balance monthly premiums with quality claims and coverage, MoneyGeek analyzed the best health insurance in Louisiana.

The cheapest health insurance plan for residents in Louisiana is CHRISTUS Standard Silver from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana, costing roughly $527 per month.

The cost of your health insurance depends on the metal tier you select. More expensive plans provide more coverage. MoneyGeek listed the most affordable metal tier options based on average monthly cost:

• Bronze: CHRISTUS Standard Bronze from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana ($414 per month)
• Expanded Bronze: Blue Connect 70/50 $4550 (S) from Blue Cross Blue Shield ($408 per month)
• Silver: Blue Connect 80/60 $3400 from Blue Cross Blue Shield ($500 per month)
• Gold: Blue Connect Copay 80/60 $1000 (S) from Blue Cross Blue Shield ($580 per month)

Plans with lower monthly premium costs, like Bronze and Expanded Bronze plans, typically provide less coverage. Silver and Gold plans may have a higher monthly cost, but they come with more benefits and lower out-of-pocket expenses.

CHRISTUS Standard Silver from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana is the cheapest Silver Plan, which costs approximately $527 per month. The best and most affordable Silver plans are:

• CHRISTUS Standard Silver from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana: $527 per month
• CHRISTUS Silver - 2 Free PCP visits, includes Virtual from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana: $541 per month
• CHRISTUS Silver HD - 2 Free PCP visits;Virtual;$25 PCP;$40 SPE;$40 Urgent;$0 PrefGen from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana: $546 per month

Silver plans are often chosen for their relatively low deductibles and fair amount of coverage. Only Silver plans offer cost-sharing reductions to help you pay for co-insurance, copayments and other medical expenses, if you qualify.

Note that the plan recommendations below are all HMOs. While they are not necessarily the cheapest health insurance plans in Louisiana, they are the most accessible to the residents of the state.

Blue Cross Blue Shield offers the cheapest Gold plan called Blue Connect Copay 80/60 $1000 (S) at around $580 per month. The top Gold plans available in the Pelican State are:

• Blue Connect Copay 80/60 $1000 (S) from Blue Cross Blue Shield: $580 per month
• Signature Blue Copay 80/60 $1000 from Blue Cross Blue Shield: $591 per month
• CMS Standard Gold from Ambetter: $592 per month

Gold plans have higher monthly premiums compared to Silver or Bronze plans. However, it’s worth getting a Gold plan if you’d rather pay more each month and less out of pocket when you receive care.

The most affordable Bronze plan is CHRISTUS Standard Bronze from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana, which costs roughly $414 per month. Consider other cheap Bronze plans such as:

• CHRISTUS Standard Bronze from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana: $414 per month
• CMS Standard Bronze from Ambetter: $428 per month
• Blue POS 100/100 $9100 Standardized Plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield: $443 per month

Bronze plans tend to feature lower monthly premiums and high out-of-pocket expenses, making it a good option for those that infrequently need medical care.

Blue Connect 70/50 $4550 (S) from Blue Cross Blue Shield is the cheapest Expanded Bronze plan, with an average monthly premium of $408. Other affordable Expanded Bronze plans include:

• Blue Connect 70/50 $4550 (S) from Blue Cross Blue Shield: $408 per month
• CHRISTUS Bronze - 2 Free PCP visits, includes Virtual from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana: $425 per month
• Community Blue 70/50 $4550 from Blue Cross Blue Shield: $436 per month

Expanded Bronze plans are in between Bronze and Silver tier plans in terms of cost and coverage. It usually covers one major medical service and doctor visit before you meet your deductible.

Louisiana residents whose annual income is below 250% of the FPL may qualify for CSRs, which reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.

Blue Connect 80/60 $3400 (S) from Blue Cross Blue Shield is the cheapest plan for low-income Louisiana residents. Depending on your annual income bracket, you may receive a lower MOOP cost while paying the same monthly premium:

• Income from $27,181 to $47,565 per year: Blue Connect 80/60 $3400 (S) ($7,000 MOOP)
• Income from $28,386 to $27,180 per year: Blue Connect 80/60 $3400 (S) ($3,000 MOOP)
• Income lower than $20,385 per year: Blue Connect 80/60 $3400 (S) ($1,900 MOOP)

Only Silver plans are eligible for CSRs. The income brackets above are for that of a single individual; they will vary based on the number of people in your household.

The most common plan type in Louisiana is a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan. Other available options include Point of Service (POS), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) plans.

MoneyGeek’s research found that the cheapest medical insurance in Louisiana for each plan type are:

• EPO: UHC Silver Advantage ($0 Virtual Urgent Care + $0 PCP Visits, $3 Generic Rx Pref Pharm) from UnitedHealthCare ($707 per month)
• POS: Blue Connect 80/60 $3400 (S) from Blue Cross Blue Shield ($500 per month)
• PPO: Blue Max Copay 50/50 $3200 from Blue Cross Blue Shield ($724 per month)

HMO plans are often the cheapest option, but policyholders are limited to using in-network providers. EPO and PPO plans are typically more expensive, but they have a larger network and provide more flexibility if you need to consult a specialist.

Not all plan types are available across Louisiana, which means that the most affordable option may be different for each county. We compared the average monthly premiums in the largest county, East Baton Rouge Parish, with the second-smallest county, Cameron Parish:

• East Baton Rouge Parish: CMS Standard Silver from Ambetter ($552 per month)
• Cameron Parish: CHRISTUS Standard Silver from CHRISTUS Health Plan Louisiana ($544 per month)

We also included the available Silver plan options per county.

Your age and metal tier impact the cost of your monthly premium. The premiums below reveal differences in cost per metal tier for an average 40-year-old Louisianian:

• Bronze: $1,897
• Expanded Bronze: $2,112
• Silver: $2,627
• Gold: $2,939

Your premium cost tends to increase as you get older. Silver plans for young adults, middle-aged adults and seniors are $1,877, $2,627 and $5,579, respectively.

MoneyGeek gathered data to find cheap private health insurance plans in Louisiana. During open enrollment, consumers can shop around for plans to find the best one for their coverage needs.

Residents in Louisiana who are eligible for government-backed programs like Medicare (for seniors or persons with a disability) and Medicaid (for low-income individuals) might be able to secure a cheaper rate.

Open enrollment is the period of time in which consumers can purchase private health insurance from the marketplace. From November 1 to January 15, you can apply for health insurance.

If you want your health insurance to cover you by January 1, 2024, you must enroll by December 15, 2023. Early enrollment gives you the opportunity to adjust your plan before the period ends.

You’ll find Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver and Gold plans in Louisiana. More valuable metal tiers, like Silver and Gold, typically have higher monthly premiums and lower deductibles.

• Bronze plans have the lowest monthly premiums and the highest deductibles, making them ideal for those who don’t frequently need medical care.
• Expanded Bronze plans are similar to Bronze plans, but they offer slightly more coverage, which means that you will pay less out of pocket when you have a medical emergency.
• Silver plans are the middle-ground option between Expanded Bronze and Gold plans. They feature moderate MOOP and reasonable premium costs. Silver plans are also the only type of plans that offer CSRs.
• Gold plans are the most expensive plan type available in Louisiana, but these offer comprehensive coverage and feature a lower deductible and MOOP.

Note that the metal tiers don’t dictate the quality of care that you receive. Instead, it influences your coverage level, premiums and other features.

Medicaid is a federal health care program that offers virtually free medical coverage for individuals with limited income and resources. Personal care and nursing home care are covered by Medicaid. Depending on the services you need, you may have to pay a small amount.

Medicare is a government-funded medical insurance program that caters to seniors aged 65 and older, as well as those with a qualifying disability or illness. While policyholders have to cover costs, it’s still more affordable than a marketplace plan.

Medicare is divided into three parts:

• Part A: This covers hospital care such as inpatient stays, nursing facilities, hospices and home care.
• Part B: This includes medical insurance that covers doctor’s visits, preventive services, outpatient care and certain medical supplies.
• Part D: This helps pay for prescription medicines and vaccines.

We also highlight the best Medicare Supplement and top Medicare Advantage plans available in Louisiana.

You might have a few questions about the affordability and availability of cheap medical insurance in Louisiana. We tackle the most commonly asked questions below.