Health insurance cost in Louisiana
If you're moving to Louisiana without job-based coverage, here's what a Marketplace plan costs before subsidies. Louisiana ranks #34 of 51 for the lowest benchmark premium.
Monthly premium by age
| Age | Benchmark silver | Cheapest bronze |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | $505 | $350 |
| 30 | $574 | $397 |
| 40 | $646 | $447 |
| 50 | $902 | $624 |
| 60 | $1,372 | $949 |
| 64 | $1,516 | $1,049 |
Scaled from the age-40 average with the federal default age curve, which lets insurers charge a 64-year-old up to 3× what a 21-year-old pays. Excludes tobacco surcharges.
The Louisiana benchmark rose 23% for 2026, less than the 26% national increase, leaving it 3% above the U.S. average for a 40-year-old.
What is different in Louisiana
- Where to enroll
- HealthCare.gov
- Open enrollment for 2027
- Nov 1 – Jan 15
- Marketplace insurers, 2026
- 5
- Medicaid expansion
- Since Jul 2016
- Penalty if uninsured
- None
- Average paid after credits, 2026
- $144/mo
- Where and when. Louisiana uses HealthCare.gov, the federal marketplace. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027; pick a plan by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1.
- Choice of insurers. 5 insurers sell Marketplace plans in Louisiana for 2026, up from 4 in 2025. Not every insurer sells in every county, so your choices depend on where you live. 296,648 people picked a Marketplace plan here for 2026, up 1% from 2025, one of 10 states (counting DC) where sign-ups rose even as the enhanced federal credits ran out.
- What enrollees paid. Enrollees here paid an average of $144 a month after tax credits for 2026, roughly double the $72 they paid for 2025 (U.S. average: $178). Before credits, the plans they chose averaged $759.
- Medicaid. Louisiana expanded Medicaid in July 2016. Adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can generally get Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan.
- Going uninsured. Louisiana doesn't charge a penalty for going without coverage, and the federal penalty ended after 2018. In 2024, 7.6% of residents had no health insurance (U.S.: 8.2%), and 5.2% bought their own coverage.
Subsidies in 2026
The enhanced premium tax credits of 2021–2025 expired, so 2026 follows the original ACA rules: credits are available for household incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, and you're expected to pay between about 2.1% and 9.96% of income for the benchmark plan. Above 400% there's no federal credit. Check your price at HealthCare.gov.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in Louisiana in 2026?
The benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averages $646 a month before subsidies, and the cheapest bronze plan $447 (KFF analysis of CMS data). That's up 23% from 2025.
How much does health insurance cost for a 60-year-old in Louisiana?
About $1,372 a month for the benchmark silver plan before subsidies, using the federal default age curve.
Did Louisiana expand Medicaid?
Louisiana expanded Medicaid in July 2016. Adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can generally get Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan.