Federal, exists in every state
Free health insurance above the Medicaid line (LaCHIP)
LaCHIP covers uninsured Louisiana children under 19 above the ordinary Medicaid income line.
What it is
LaCHIP covers uninsured Louisiana children under 19 above the ordinary Medicaid income line.
The state card explains the application and local rules. This is the same application, not an extra benefit.
How the programs connect
- The LaCHIP line is $5,968 a month for four, including the allowance, effective March 1, 2026.
- The same Medicaid application screens ordinary Medicaid first. Louisiana describes ordinary LaCHIP as no-cost coverage; the worker confirms the child’s category and current premium, fee and cost-sharing rules. An unaccepted ordinary employer offer is different from current insurance; state-employee-plan access needs a separate check.
- The separate LaCHIP Affordable Plan’s published March 2026 line is $7,013 a month for four. Its posted cost-sharing rule sets one $50 monthly family premium, due on the first, with a 5%-of-family-income limit. The premium office confirms the first coverage date, invoice and current cost sharing. The older 60-day nonpayment grace language does not override newer 12-month child continuous-eligibility protection against termination solely for premium nonpayment.
What you get
If you decide to apply
Official sources
- Medicaid Eligibility Manual Z-200, Federal Poverty Income Guidelines
- LaCHIP
- LaCHIP FAQ (category 18)
- Medicaid Eligibility Manual H-1900, Continuous Eligibility
- Louisiana Medicaid Self-Service Portal
- Louisiana Healthcare Connections, Medicaid Provider Manual, Billing a Member p.156 and Third Party Liability pp.136–137
- LDH LAP FAQ
“If our child is uninsured and above the Medicaid income limit, could LaCHIP help? What are the benefits and drawbacks, and could you help us apply if it fits?”
Why I’m asking: I want to know which children’s coverage band fits our income and what it would cost.
More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules
Who does what
The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.
You
File the state application, answer the insurance question exactly (enrolled versus offered), and pay the first premium when the letter comes.
Your social worker
Checks which range the child falls in and whether the state runs CHIP inside Medicaid or as a separate plan.
The care team
Records and letters when the application asks for them.
- Who decides
- The state Medicaid/CHIP agency
- Ask your social worker
- “Does my child fall under Medicaid or CHIP? If CHIP, what is the premium and when do the 12 months of coverage start?”
How to apply
First step: Apply through the same state application as Medicaid. The state sorts the child into Medicaid or CHIP by income.
- Apply through the state's Medicaid application. The state sorts Medicaid or CHIP.
- If told to wait, ask for the rule in writing and appeal.
Where it starts: The same state application as Medicaid. The state sorts the child by income
What to gather
- Pay stubs or this month's income
- Who lives at home
- Proof the child has no other insurance (a letter from the employer if asked)
How long: Same time limit as Medicaid: up to 45 days.
What a yes looks like
A letter naming the CHIP plan, the premium and the start date.
What a no looks like, and the next move
If the reason is “has other insurance”, ask which coverage they mean. An offer is not coverage. If the reason is income, the disability options are next.
Watch out
- Separate CHIP is for uninsured children. An employer plan you were offered but did not take is not insurance. Enrolled is what counts.
- If you are told to wait 90 days, ask for the rule in writing and appeal. Since June 3, 2025 no CHIP waiting period is lawful anywhere.
- A missed premium cannot end coverage inside the 12-month period. A renewal you ignore can.
Dates that change this
2025-06-03: No CHIP waiting period is lawful anywhere for applications after June 3, 2025; a state handbook that still prints 90 days is stale. Ask for the rule in writing and appeal.
2025-01-15: A state may not suspend CHIP for a missed premium during the child’s 12-month period.
The numbers and the rules
The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 7, 2026.
What it is worth
Full child coverage with state-set premiums and copays, capped at 5% of family income. 12 months once enrolled.
Covers: Doctor and specialist visits · Hospital and emergency care · Prescription drugs · Dental and vision · Preventive care
Legal protection: No waiting period is lawful anywhere for applications after June 3, 2025 · Premiums and cost-sharing together capped at 5% of family income · 12 months of continuous coverage. A missed premium cannot suspend it inside that period
What it costs the family: Small premiums and copays set by the state. The state record has the table.
The eligibility facts, as published
- State specific
- yes
- Age
- under 19
- Insurance status
- separate CHIP requires the child to be uninsured; an employer offer is not coverage
- Waiting period
- none lawful after 2025-06-03
Decisions this site cannot make: State income and household calculation
Expect friction on: Insurance-status rules · Plan network
The trap: An employer plan you were offered but did not take is not insurance for CHIP. Enrolled is what counts. And no CHIP waiting period is lawful anywhere since June 3, 2025.
What changes by state: Name, income ceiling, premium, and whether it is Medicaid-run or a separate plan.
Where I read this
- Children’s Health Insurance Program — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, read August 27, 2026
- Continuous Eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, read August 27, 2026
- State Health Official letter 25-001: continuous eligibility FAQs — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, read September 7, 2026
- 42 CFR Part 457: State Children’s Health Insurance Program (substitution of coverage, cost sharing) — eCFR, read September 7, 2026