Louisiana Invests $17 Billion To Extend Its Medicaid MCO Contracts Through December 2026

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) extended five of its six Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) contracts for the Healthy Louisiana program through December 31, 2026, at a cost of more than $17 billion. The five plans with a full-year extension are Aetna Better Health of Louisiana, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, Healthy Blue, Humana Healthy Horizons in Louisiana, and Louisiana Healthcare Connections. LDH extended its contract with the sixth plan, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, only through March 31, 2026.

The MCO contracts were awarded in 2022 and went live on January 1, 2023, to serve the state’s 1.5 million . . .