Louisiana Medicaid and Healthy Louisiana Plans
Louisiana Medicaid covers hearing aids for children under 21 through the EPSDT benefit at no cost to the family. Adults 21 and older are only covered under specific Healthy Louisiana managed-care plans. ACI Hearing Center in Lafayette explains what your plan covers, how prior authorization works, and how to start.
Louisiana Medicaid coverage for hearing aids depends on age. The rules are strict but they are clear.
EPSDT stands for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment. It is a federal Medicaid benefit that covers every child under 21 who is enrolled in Medicaid. Under federal law (42 U.S.C. section 1396d(r)(4)), every state must cover hearing aids for these children when a Doctor of Audiology or ear specialist finds a medical need. Louisiana Medicaid covers:
The Louisiana Medicaid State Plan does not cover hearing aids for adults 21 and older. This is different from the child benefit and it surprises many families. However, some Healthy Louisiana managed-care plans add adult hearing aids as an extra benefit. Which plan you have matters a lot.
Read the next section to see where each Healthy Louisiana plan stands on adult hearing benefits.
As of 2026, there are five Healthy Louisiana Medicaid managed-care organizations (MCOs). UnitedHealthcare Community Plan's contract was not renewed after December 31, 2025, and members were reassigned to one of the five remaining plans as of January 1, 2026.
| Managed-care plan | Adult (21+) hearing exam | Adult (21+) hearing aid | Member services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna Better Health of Louisiana | Call plan to confirm | Call plan to confirm | 1-855-242-0802 |
| AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana | Call plan to confirm | Call plan to confirm | 1-888-756-0004 |
| Healthy Blue | Call plan to confirm | Not covered for adults 21+ per plan manual | 1-844-521-6941 |
| Humana Healthy Horizons in Louisiana | Covered | Not covered for adults 21+ | 1-800-448-3810 |
| Louisiana Healthcare Connections | One exam per year | One hearing aid every two years, plus earpieces and batteries | 1-866-595-8133 |
Plan benefits change. Always call the member services number on the back of your Medicaid card before scheduling to confirm your current adult hearing benefit. If you do not know your current plan, call Healthy Louisiana at 1-855-229-6848.
To approve a hearing aid, Louisiana Medicaid requires audiometric data from both an ear specialist (otologist) and a hearing aid provider showing significant hearing loss. Significant hearing loss is defined as greater than 20 decibels average hearing level in the frequency range from 250 to 2000 Hz.
The prior authorization is submitted by the DME (durable medical equipment) provider that dispenses the hearing aid. But the documentation has to come from a qualified audiologic workup first. Here is what ACI Hearing Center provides for a Medicaid evaluation:
All four of our providers are Doctors of Audiology with credentials that qualify under the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) standard.
Medicaid is one of several ways to pay for hearing care in Louisiana. If you or your child is on Medicaid, start here. If your plan does not cover your situation, there are other paths that may work.
Not sure where to start? The insurance overview page lays out every option side by side.
Yes for children under 21, through the EPSDT benefit. Adults 21 and older are not covered by the Louisiana Medicaid State Plan for hearing aids. Some Healthy Louisiana managed-care plans add adult hearing aids as an extra benefit. Louisiana Healthcare Connections currently covers one hearing exam per year and one hearing aid every two years for adults 21 and older.
EPSDT stands for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment. It is a federal Medicaid benefit for children under 21. Under federal law, every state must cover hearing aids for enrolled children when medically necessary. Louisiana Medicaid covers the hearing aid, earpieces, batteries, and repairs at no cost to the family. Prior authorization is arranged by the DME provider.
Audiometric data from both an ear specialist and a hearing aid provider showing significant hearing loss, defined as greater than 20 decibels average hearing level in the range 250 to 2000 Hz. ACI Hearing Center performs the full audiologic workup and provides the written documentation the DME provider needs.
As of 2026, the five plans are Aetna Better Health, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, Healthy Blue, Humana Healthy Horizons, and Louisiana Healthcare Connections. Adult hearing benefits vary by plan. Louisiana Healthcare Connections offers members 21+ one exam per year and one hearing aid every two years. Humana Healthy Horizons covers adult hearing exams only. Call your plan's member services number to confirm.
Under Louisiana Medicaid rules, hearing aids must carry a two-year warranty and are expected to last at least three years before replacement. Repairs are covered when the hearing aid was originally paid for by Medicaid.
Call your Healthy Louisiana plan's member services number to ask about referral rules for audiology. Most plans allow direct access, but some require a primary care physician referral first. Call ACI at 337-223-9448 and we can help you understand what your specific plan needs.
Call 337-223-9448 to confirm which Louisiana Medicaid plans are currently in our network. Coverage and network status can change, so please call before your visit to verify your specific plan is accepted.
Call ACI Hearing Center in Lafayette to confirm your Medicaid plan is accepted and to schedule a diagnostic evaluation. We provide the full workup and documentation your Medicaid plan needs for prior authorization.