Medicaid appeals in Louisiana: hearing deadline and keeping benefits
Louisiana Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana for managed care): you have 30 days to ask for a fair hearing.
If you ask for a hearing before the date of action on your notice, your services are not cut or stopped until the hearing decision, unless the only issue is a federal or state law or policy.
Checked against official sources: October 30, 2026.
Appeal deadlines are strict. If you are near a deadline or your care is urgent, call free help today.
Medicaid (Louisiana Medicaid (Healthy Louisiana for managed care)) denials in Louisiana
- Medicaid agency
Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Bureau of Health Services Financing
- Who holds the hearing
Louisiana Division of Administrative Law (DAL), Health and Hospitals Section
- Hearing deadline
30 days
The date of the decision notice issued by Medicaid or its designee
- How to ask for a hearing
- Online: DAL Medicaid Recipient/Applicant Appeal Request form: laserfiche.adminlaw.state.la.us/Forms/hSgLX
- Mail: Division of Administrative Law, Health and Hospitals Section, P.O. Box 4189, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4189
- Fax: 225-219-9823
- Phone: 225-342-5800 or 225-342-0443 (phone appeals are allowed but not recommended)
- Mail address
Division of Administrative Law, Health and Hospitals Section, P.O. Box 4189, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4189
- What to include
Use only one way to file, and do not file the same appeal twice. The LDH appeal form asks for the beneficiary's name, whether you want an expedited hearing, a description of the services requested (or a copy of the denial notice), and your signature and date. If the provider did not ask for all the services you need, include a doctor's note explaining why they are necessary.
- Keeping your benefits during the appeal
If you ask for a hearing before the date of action on your notice, your services are not cut or stopped until the hearing decision, unless the only issue is a federal or state law or policy. LDH also tells members that appealing within 10 days of the denial keeps current services from being stopped while the appeal is reviewed. If you lose, Medicaid may recover the cost of services given only because of the appeal.
Law: LAC 50:III.101(D); LAC 42 CFR 431.230
- Faster (expedited) hearing
Check "Yes" for an expedited fair hearing on the appeal form if you have an emergency health issue. LDH may contact you for proof of the emergency.
Law: LAC 50:III.101
Medicaid health plan (managed care) in Louisiana
- Appeal to the plan first
If you are in a Healthy Louisiana health plan, appeal to the plan first, orally or in writing, within 60 calendar days from the date on the plan's notice of adverse benefit determination (an oral appeal must be followed by a signed written appeal unless it is expedited). You can see your case file free of charge. Once the plan's one-level appeal is finished, you can ask for a state fair hearing within 120 days from the date of the plan's notice of appeal resolution. To keep services during the plan appeal, file within 10 calendar days of the date the plan mailed its notice or by the date the change takes effect, whichever is later.
- Then a state hearing
120 days
The date of the health plan's (MCO's) notice of appeal resolution
- If the plan is late
If the health plan does not decide your appeal within the required time, your appeal is treated as finished and you can ask for a state fair hearing.
Law: LAC 50:I.3705, 3707, 3715; LAC 42 CFR 438.402, 438.408, 438.420
Write my appeal: free letters
Sources
The official sources for Louisiana are listed on the Louisiana page.