Louisiana Medicaid Pregnancy Income Limits: LaMOMS and LaCHIP

Louisiana Medicaid pregnancy income limits work on two tiers. LaMOMS provides full Medicaid coverage for pregnant women in households earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level. The LaCHIP Unborn Option covers prenatal care and delivery at a higher ceiling of 214% of the federal poverty level. For a household of two in 2026, that translates to $2,489 per month for LaMOMS and $3,860 per month for the LaCHIP Unborn Option.¹

2026 LaMOMS Monthly Income Limits

LaMOMS is Louisiana’s full-coverage Medicaid program for pregnant women. The 138% figure is built from 133% plus an automatic 5% income disregard.² The 2026 monthly gross income limits by household size are:¹

2 people: $2,489
3 people: $3,142
4 people: $3,795
5 people: $4,449
6 people: $5,102

These are gross figures, before taxes or deductions. They adjust when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services updates the federal poverty guidelines, typically in January.³

2026 LaCHIP Unborn Option Monthly Income Limits

If your income runs higher than the LaMOMS ceiling, you may still qualify through the LaCHIP Phase IV Unborn Option. This program technically covers the unborn child, but in practice it pays for prenatal care services from conception through birth. The ceiling is 214% of the federal poverty level (209% plus the same 5% disregard).⁴ The 2026 monthly limits are:⁵

2 people: $3,860
3 people: $4,873
4 people: $5,885
5 people: $6,898
6 people: $7,911

Where you land between the two thresholds matters. LaMOMS is full Medicaid, covering prescriptions, delivery, and postpartum care for 12 months after the pregnancy ends.⁶ The LaCHIP Unborn Option covers prenatal care and delivery only, and coverage ends at birth.⁴ Income between the two limits gets you prenatal care without the year of postpartum coverage.

How Household Size Is Counted

Because the income limit rises with household size, how Louisiana counts your household is part of the eligibility question. The state uses your tax-filing unit: you, your spouse if you file jointly, and anyone you claim as a tax dependent.⁷

One rule works in your favor. Each unborn child counts as a household member. Expecting one baby with no other dependents puts your household size at two. Expecting twins puts it at three, which raises the income limit that applies to you.⁷

What Income Counts

Louisiana measures eligibility using Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), which follows federal tax rules. Countable income includes gross wages, self-employment earnings, and most other taxable income, reviewed before federal or state tax withholding.⁷

Several common sources are excluded. Child support you receive is not counted. Neither are Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits.⁸ There is no asset test: the state does not count bank accounts, cars, or property when determining pregnancy Medicaid eligibility.⁹ For families near the income cutoffs, those exclusions can decide the outcome.

If You Are Not a U.S. Citizen

Immigration status does not necessarily lock you out. The LaCHIP Unborn Option specifically covers non-citizen pregnant women who are ineligible for other Medicaid programs solely because of their immigration status, provided they meet the income limits above.⁴

If you do not qualify for LaCHIP either, Louisiana offers Emergency Medical Services Medicaid that covers labor and delivery. The window is narrow. For a vaginal delivery, coverage runs from the onset of active labor through the day of delivery; for a cesarean section, through the day after delivery.¹⁰

Applying and Getting Covered Quickly

Any pregnant woman in Louisiana, married or single, can apply. You can apply online through the Louisiana Medicaid Self-Service Portal at sspweb.lameds.ldh.la.gov, by phone at 1-888-342-6207, or in person at a regional Medicaid office.⁹ The state tries to verify your income electronically through federal databases and the Louisiana Workforce Commission before asking you for paper documents, so you may only need pay stubs or a tax return if the electronic match fails.¹¹

Two paths get you coverage without waiting on a full application decision. Certain hospitals certified by the Louisiana Department of Health can grant temporary Medicaid on the spot through hospital presumptive eligibility, based on information you provide verbally, with coverage starting the same day.¹² Eligibility can also be backdated up to three months before the month you apply, as long as your income during those months met the limits.¹³

1
Louisiana Department of Health. For Medicaid Partners – 2026 Program Limits by Family Size
2
Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Administrative Code tit. 50, III-2315 – LaMOMS Program
3
HHS ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
4
Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Manual – LaCHIP Phase IV
5
Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Manual Charts
6
Legal Information Institute. Louisiana Administrative Code tit. 50, III-2330 – Twelve-Months Postpartum Medicaid Coverage
7
Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Manual – MAGI Determinations
8
eCFR. 42 CFR 435.603 – Application of Modified Adjusted Gross Income
9
Louisiana Department of Health. LaMOMS
10
Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Manual – Citizenship, Identity, and Qualified Non-Citizen Requirements
11
Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Manual – Verification and Documentation
12
Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Manual – Hospital Presumptive Eligibility
13
Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Manual – Pregnant Women Group