# Healthy Blue Leaves Louisiana Medicaid on December 31, 2026, and Standing Rides Carry Over

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/news/louisiana-healthy-blue-exit-nemt/ · Updated 2026-10-06

Healthy Blue will stop serving Louisiana Medicaid members when its managed care contract ends on December 31, 2026. The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) announced the exit in [Informational Bulletin 26-12](https://www.louisianahealthconnect.com/newsroom/important-information-regarding-healthy-blue-transition--ib-26-1.html), dated September 1, 2026. Healthy Blue members move to one of the four remaining Healthy Louisiana plans on January 1, 2027. For ride companies, the broker stays the same: [MediTrans](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/meditrans/) arranges rides for every plan, so recurring trips carry over.

## What the bulletin says about rides

The bulletin has its own section on non-emergency medical transportation. It says: "Since all Medicaid MCOs utilize the broker MediTrans, all members with standing transportation orders will be transferred to the receiving MCO and remain in place. No action is required by the member."

That means a Healthy Blue rider's recurring dialysis or therapy trips do not need to be booked again. What changes on January 1, 2027 is the health plan behind each trip. For how recurring trips work, see [NEMT standing orders](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-standing-orders/).

## Who moves and when

The four plans that remain are Aetna Better Health of Louisiana, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, Humana Healthy Horizons in Louisiana, and [Louisiana Healthcare Connections](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/louisiana-healthcare-connections/).

- **Choosing a plan.** Healthy Blue members get a special enrollment period from October 15 to November 16, 2026. They can choose by phone at 1-855-229-6848, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., online at myplan.healthy.la.gov, or in the Healthy Louisiana app.
- **If they do not choose.** LDH assigns them a plan, effective January 1, 2027. It says it will try to keep families in the same plan and pick a plan that lets members keep seeing the same providers. Members can still change plans after they are assigned.
- **Checking the new plan.** By Monday, November 23, 2026, MEVS, the state's eligibility check, shows each member's new plan when you search a date of service on or after January 1, 2027.

MediTrans keeps a separate ride line for each plan. Healthy Blue's is 866-430-1101. As of October 6, 2026, its rider pages list these lines for the four remaining plans:

| Plan | MediTrans ride line |
|---|---|
| Aetna Better Health of Louisiana | 877-917-4150 |
| AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana | 888-913-0364 |
| Humana Healthy Horizons in Louisiana | 844-613-1638 |
| Louisiana Healthcare Connections | 855-369-3723 |

## Claims, authorizations, and support

Healthy Blue keeps receiving and processing new claims through its 365-day [timely filing](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/timely-filing-limit/) window. It will also handle corrected claims, adjustments, and recoupments during its run-out. Disputes over services given before January 1, 2027 stay with Healthy Blue, and its provider call center stays open through June 30, 2028.

Trips you run for MediTrans are still billed to MediTrans, which asks for trip documentation within 24 hours and claims within 365 days of the trip date.

The new plan honors a Healthy Blue prior authorization for up to 60 days, or until it ends if that comes first. It cannot deny a prior authorization only because the provider is outside its network.

## What Louisiana NEMT providers should do now

1. **Keep running Healthy Blue trips through December 31.** Standing orders move to the new plan on their own, so do not rebook them.
2. **Check January dates from November 23.** For each regular Healthy Blue rider, run an [eligibility check](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/eligibility-verification/) in MEVS for a date on or after January 1, 2027, and note the new plan.
3. **Close out December billing on time.** Send trip documentation within 24 hours and every December claim well inside the 365-day window.
4. **Be ready for rider calls.** Between October 15 and November 16, riders may ask whether their rides change. Tell them standing rides carry over, and give them 1-855-229-6848 to choose a plan.
5. **Check any contract you hold with Healthy Blue itself.** LDH asks providers contracted only with Healthy Blue to consider contracting with one or more of the four remaining plans. Trips MediTrans assigns you keep coming through MediTrans, since every plan uses it.

For the brokers, rates, and licensing rules behind Louisiana Medicaid rides, see the [Louisiana state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/louisiana/).

## Sources

- [Louisiana Department of Health: Informational Bulletin 26-12, Healthy Blue transition (September 1, 2026, as posted by Louisiana Healthcare Connections)](https://www.louisianahealthconnect.com/newsroom/important-information-regarding-healthy-blue-transition--ib-26-1.html)
- [Louisiana Department of Health: Informational Bulletin 26-12, Healthy Blue transition (September 1, 2026)](https://ldh.la.gov/assets/docs/BayouHealth/Informational_Bulletins/2026/IB26-12.pdf)
- [Healthy Louisiana: Member FAQs on the Healthy Blue change (four remaining plans, special enrollment October 15 to November 16, 2026)](https://www.myplan.healthy.la.gov/en/faqs)
- [MediTrans: Transportation Providers Hub (trip documentation within 24 hours, claims within 365 days of the trip date)](https://meditrans.com/transportation-providers/)
- [MediTrans: Healthy Blue riders, ride line 866-430-1101](https://meditrans.com/riders/healthy-blue/)
- [MediTrans: Aetna riders, ride line 877-917-4150](https://meditrans.com/riders/aetna/)
- [MediTrans: AmeriHealth Caritas riders, ride line 888-913-0364](https://meditrans.com/riders/amerihealth-caritas/)
- [MediTrans: Humana riders, ride line 844-613-1638](https://meditrans.com/riders/humana/)
- [MediTrans: Louisiana Healthcare Connections riders, ride line 855-369-3723](https://meditrans.com/riders/louisiana-healthcare-connections/)