BATON ROUGE – With Open Enrollment for health insurance coverage opening Nov. 1, Louisiana residents will soon have the option to enroll in or make changes to their coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace for the coming year. Those who enroll in a plan by Dec. 15 will have coverage beginning Jan. 1 and for those who wait until the final deadline of Jan. 15 will have coverage beginning Feb. 1.
“Open Enrollment is the opportunity for every Louisiana citizen to make important decisions about their health insurance coverage for the coming year,” Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple said. “I encourage all residents to take the time to review their options and ensure they have the coverage they need.”
Health Insurers Offering Marketplace Plans
Health insurers offering individual marketplace plans in Louisiana for 2026 are:
- Ambetter Health of Louisiana
- Amerihealth Caritas Louisiana
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
- CHRISTUS Health Plan
- UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company.
UnitedHealthcare will not be offering coverage in Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Charles parishes this year. Residents currently enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare plan in those four parishes will need to choose a plan offered by another carrier by December 15. If they do not, HealthCare.gov will automatically enroll them in another carrier’s plan selected to most closely match their current coverage.
While UnitedHealthcare will offer coverage in Louisiana’s other 60 parishes, the company will be missing from the Health Insurance Marketplace until the next HealthCare.gov system update, which is expected to occur about one week into November.
“UnitedHealthcare will be initially unavailable throughout the state until Healthcare.gov can be updated to remove Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Charles from its coverage areas due to the loss of the LCMC hospital system from UnitedHealthcare’s individual market network,” Commissioner Temple said. “My office will continue to review and take necessary action to protect consumers.”
Tips for Open Enrollment
The Louisiana Department of Insurance offers the following tips regarding Open Enrollment:
Review your options. Plans and premiums can change each year. This year has included significant federal changes, resulting in premium increases and alterations to plan offerings. It is important to review the options offered in your area and ensure your plan selection includes your doctors and suits your health needs.
Meet deadlines. If you enroll in a plan by December 15, your coverage will begin Jan. 1, 2026. If you enroll after December 15 but by the final deadline of January 15, your coverage will begin Feb. 1, 2026. If you do not elect coverage by January 15, you will be unable to get an individual marketplace plan unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period due to a qualifying life change.
Contact an agent. A licensed health insurance agent can help you understand your options, answer questions you may have and determine if you qualify for a premium tax credit.
About the Louisiana Department of Insurance
The Louisiana Department of Insurance works to improve competition in the state’s insurance market while assisting individuals and businesses with the information and resources they need to be informed consumers of insurance.
As a regulator, the LDI enforces the laws that provide a fair and stable marketplace and makes certain that insurers comply with the laws in place to protect policyholders. You can contact the LDI by downloading our LDIConnect mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, calling us at 800-259-5300 or visiting www.ldi.la.gov.