Partners for Healthy Babies

Where Can I Find Free or Low-Cost Car Seats?

If your baby is going to ride in a car, then they need a car seat. Unfortunately, car seats can get expensive. Here are some people and organizations that may be able to help you get a free or low-cost car seat:

• Hospitals may be able to connect you with car seat resources. Ask your doctor or the staff at your birthing hospital (e.g., nurse, social worker, pediatrician, etc.) if they know where to get a free or low-cost car seat. You can also try calling your local children’s hospital or the pediatric department of a general hospital in your area. If your local hospital has a parenting center, that’s another good place to start.
• Call your insurance provider or contact Healthy Louisiana. Some plans offer free car seats or pack-n-plays as incentives for getting regular prenatal care! Ask if they can cover the cost of a car seat or provide a free one.
• Call the Nurse Family Partnership or Parents as Teachers supervisor listed for your parish.
• Visit the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission website to find your closest car seat fitting station. You can also call the Louisiana State Police troop closest to you. Ask if there are any programs that provide free or low-cost car seats.
• Call your local Office of Motor Vehicles. Find an office near you.
• Call Safe Kids Louisiana at 504-780-4321.
• Call the University Medical Center of New Orleans’ Community Injury Prevention Program at (504) 702-2296.
• Contact your church or a church in your area and let them know you need help getting a car seat.
• Contact your local Kiwanis or Rotary Club and ask them if they have any programs that provide free or low-cost car seats to people who need them.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

SNAP provides monthly benefits that help eligible families buy the food they need to stay healthy. SNAP benefits are loaded onto the recipient’s Louisiana Purchase Card, which can be used to buy things like fruits and veggies, bread and grains, meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products.

Visit the SNAP webpage to check qualifying income levels, learn how to apply, and see other guidelines.

SNAP During Disasters

Find out how to get your SNAP benefits during disasters online or call 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578).

Questions?

Call 1-888-LAHELP-U (1-888-524-3578).

Want an easy way to keep track of your benefits?

Download the Fresh EBT app! It’s free from the Apple App store or the Google Play store. Use the app to:

• Check your food stamps (SNAP) & cash balance instantly
• Find stores that accept EBT
• Track your spending patterns

Louisiana WIC

Louisiana WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) is a program that provides nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and food benefits to pregnant women, new moms, and young children.

WIC income eligibility requirements are a bit wider than SNAP requirements, so even if you can’t get SNAP benefits, you might qualify for WIC! If you already qualify for SNAP benefits, you probably qualify for WIC as well, so be sure to apply. Learn more about WIC.

If you meet certain income guidelines, Medicaid provides coverage for healthcare services. On July 1, 2016, Louisiana Medicaid eligibility guidelines expanded. Now, more adults (including men!) are able to receive full Medicaid coverage.

Healthy Louisiana is Louisiana’s Medicaid program and provides coverage for healthcare services.

Once you qualify for Medicaid, follow these instructions for how to choose a plan and start getting care. 

You can either choose a plan or allow Healthy Louisiana to select one for you. Each plan offers unique benefits and provides health insurance coverage for different doctors. If you want to continue seeing a specific doctor, you can explore the available options to see which plan(s) cover that doctor.

Choose the plan that best meets your health needs. You can follow these tips for choosing a plan to make the right decision. To compare the Healthy Louisiana plans, click here or call 1-855-229-6848. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, use the TTY phone number: 1-855-526-3346.

How to Apply

• Apply online through Healthcare.gov
• Call 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) to apply over the phone
• Apply in person at a Medicaid Application Center. Find one near you using this interactive map.

For information about Louisiana Medicaid, call 1-855-229-6848 (TTY: 1-855-526-3346), or check out their FAQ page. 

LaCHIP

LaCHIP (Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program) provides healthcare to uninsured children up to age 19. This no-cost program pays for children’s hospital care, doctor visits, prescription drugs, shots and more. LaCHIP is now part of Healthy Louisiana.

• Find out if your child qualifies for LaCHIP
• Learn what services are covered under LaCHIP

How to Apply

You can apply for LaCHIP the same way you apply for Medicaid.

• Apply online through Healthcare.gov
• Call 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) to apply over the phone
• Apply in person at a Medicaid Application Center. Find one near you using this interactive map.

LaCHIP Affordable Plan

LaCHIP Affordable Plan is a health insurance program for uninsured children in moderate income families. If your income is too much to qualify for regular LaCHIP, you may still qualify for LaCHIP Affordable Plan. However, the LaCHIP Affordable Plan does cost $50 per month.

• View the income guidelines
• To learn more, click here or call 1-877-252-2447.
• To apply, click here.

What is it?

The Health Insurance Marketplace is for people who don’t yet have health coverage. the Marketplace can help you get covered if you don’t have health insurance through a job, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or another source that provides minimum coverage.

I already have health insurance. Should I shop for a different plan using the Health Insurance Marketplace?

• If you have job-based insurance: You can buy a plan through the Marketplace, but you’ll pay full price unless your employer’s insurance doesn’t meet certain standards. Most job-based plans do meet the standards.
• If you have Medicare: You can’t switch to Marketplace insurance,
  supplement your coverage with a Marketplace plan, or buy a Marketplace dental plan. Learn about Medicare and the Marketplace.

How does this work in Louisiana?

Louisiana’s Health Insurance Marketplace is called Navigators for a Healthy Louisiana. This service can help you understand coverage options for Louisiana residents.

If you qualify, Louisiana Healthcare Navigators can help you find the latest information about eligibility, enrollment, Qualified Health Plans (QHPs), and other health programs such as Medicaid or LaCHIP. See below for more info on who qualifies for Navigator support.

Who is eligible to use the Louisiana Healthcare Marketplace (Louisiana Healthcare Navigators)?

You are eligible to get help from the Navigators if you are:

1. A U.S. Citizen or legally in U.S. during entire coverage period OR
2. A resident in the insurance companies’ service area OR
3. Someone with an income between 100% – 400% of Federal Poverty Level OR
4. Offered coverage at work but it is not affordable or it does not meet requirements for minimum coverage.

The Greater New Orleans Health Information Exchange is a service to help people in the New Orleans area find healthcare. Most participating clinics accept private and public health insurance, or payments can be made on an income-based sliding fee scale.