Louisiana Healthcare Connections

What Louisiana Healthcare Connections does

Louisiana Healthcare Connections is a private, Louisiana-licensed managed care organization headquartered in Baton Rouge, founded in 2012 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation. It provides health insurance coverage to Louisiana residents across all 64 parishes through three principal product lines: a Medicaid managed care plan serving eligible low-income individuals, families, pregnant women, and individuals with disabilities; Medicare Advantage plans marketed under the Wellcare by Allwell brand; and Health Insurance Marketplace plans underwritten through the Ambetter Health of Louisiana, Inc. subsidiary. Its core customer segments are government-sponsored (Medicaid and Medicare) and individual ACA Marketplace enrollees, with healthcare providers as a secondary channel through which members are acquired and serviced.

The company's technology stack is built on Centene's national managed care infrastructure and includes member and provider web portals, the Ambetter Telehealth platform integrating Teladoc, Brightside Health, Rula Health, and Great Speech, the Sharecare Health App for Medicaid wellness, the My Health Pays rewards program, PaySpan Health for electronic provider payments, and Connections U for provider training. The Ambetter mobile app extends these capabilities to iOS and Android. Operational infrastructure includes prior authorization and editing services through NIA, Evolent, Availity, and InterQual, with pharmacy benefit management via Express Scripts and specialty pharmacy partners AcariaHealth and Sempre Health. The company is HIPAA-compliant, NCQA-accredited, and publishes CMS-9115-F machine-readable JSON files for transparency.

Revenue is generated primarily through capitation and premiums: monthly per-member premiums from the Louisiana Department of Health Medicaid contract, CMS Medicare Advantage payments, and individual Marketplace premiums (with potential premium tax credits) for Ambetter plans. Distribution is multi-channel, including direct online enrollment, licensed agent phone support, an independent broker portal for Marketplace plans, and in-network provider referrals. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; plan structures include premium-free Medicaid coverage, $0-premium Medicare Advantage options, and Bronze/Silver/Gold Marketplace tiers with varying deductibles and copays.

Name

Louisiana Healthcare Connections

Legal name

Louisiana Healthcare Connections

Website

https://louisianahealthconnect.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Louisiana Healthcare Connections is a Centene Corporation subsidiary operating as a Louisiana-licensed managed care organization that provides Medicaid, Medicare Advantage (Wellcare by Allwell), and ACA Marketplace (Ambetter) health plans to Louisiana residents across all 64 parishes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Managed Health Insurance

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage) (BPAIAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Medicare Provider Networks & Delegated Medical Groups (MA-focused) (FSAIAGAK), Virtual Specialty Care Programs (Payer-Sponsored) (HLALACAD)

Keywords

• Medicaid managed care
• Health insurance plans
• Medicare Advantage plans
• Marketplace insurance plans
• Managed care organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Health Insurance Premiums: Revenue generated from monthly premium payments collected from members enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and Health Insurance Marketplace (Ambetter) plans. Premium amounts vary based on plan type, coverage level, and member eligibility.
2. Government Contract Revenue: Revenue from Louisiana Department of Health contracts for Medicaid managed care services and potentially Medicare Advantage government contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Louisiana Healthcare Connections is a Louisiana-licensed managed care organization that offers government-sponsored and Affordable Care Act health insurance plans to Louisiana residents. Its portfolio includes Medicaid managed care, Medicare Advantage plans (Wellcare by Allwell), and Health Insurance Marketplace Qualified Health Plans under the Ambetter brand, providing medical, pharmacy, mental health, substance use, transportation, and wellness benefits through contracted provider networks.

Product overview

Louisiana Healthcare Connections operates a multi-product health insurance portfolio covering Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace (Ambetter), and Medicare Advantage (Wellcare by Allwell) plans for Louisiana residents. The core offering is a managed care health plan platform providing medical, pharmacy, mental health, substance use, transportation, and wellness benefits. The Ambetter sub-brand (Ambetter Health of Louisiana, Inc.) serves Marketplace enrollees with additional features including Virtual 24/7 Care telehealth, the My Health Pays rewards program, and specialty pharmacy partners (AcariaHealth, Sempre Health). Medicaid members have access to the Sharecare Health App. All provider networks are supported by Connections U training, PaySpan EFT/ERA payments, and prior authorization programs through National Imaging Associates (NIA), Evolent, and Availity editing services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ambetter Health: Health Insurance Marketplace Plan brand offering affordable health insurance in Louisiana

Products and services

• Louisiana Medicaid Plan Louisiana Medicaid managed care plan offering comprehensive health coverage for eligible low-income individuals and families, including medical, pharmacy, mental health, substance use, transportation, and wellness benefits.
• Ambetter Health Insurance Marketplace Plan Qualified Health Plan offering Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) coverage to individuals and families purchasing insurance through the Louisiana Health Insurance Marketplace, underwritten by Ambetter Health of Louisiana, Inc.
• Wellcare by Allwell Medicare Advantage Medicare Advantage managed care plans for seniors and qualifying individuals with disabilities, offering coverage beyond Original Medicare with potential $0 premium options and additional benefits.
• Ambetter Telehealth / Virtual 24/7 Care 24/7 virtual healthcare service connecting members with providers via video and phone for urgent care, mental health therapy and psychiatry, dermatology, and speech therapy without appointments.
• My Health Pays Rewards Program Rewards program that provides dollar incentives to members for completing health activities and managing their health, redeemable for pharmacy cost share at Hy-Vee, Walmart, and Express Scripts mail order.
• Start Smart for Your Baby Maternity health program supporting pregnant members with prenatal care guidance, maternal health resources, postpartum support, congenital syphilis prevention, and the Start Smart Louisiana Pregnancy App.
• Ambetter Health Mobile App Mobile application enabling members to manage their Ambetter healthcare coverage, including digital Member ID card, claims viewing, in-network care search, coverage checks, and account management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multi-plan offering (Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Marketplace) provides comprehensive coverage options for diverse Louisiana populations

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• PaySpan HealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationPaySpan Health provides electronic funds transfer (EFT) and electronic remittance advice (ERA) services for provider payments. This partnership eliminates paper checks and enables HIPAA 835 electronic remittance file downloads directly to practice management systems.
• TeladoccoreTechnology or IntegrationTeladoc provides virtual urgent care services available 24/7 to treat over 100 non-emergency conditions without an appointment. Service is available to members of all ages enrolled in Ambetter Health plans.
• Brightside HealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationBrightside Health provides virtual mental health services including therapy and psychiatry for anxiety, depression, addiction, ADHD, and other mental health needs. Available to members 13 years and older.
• Rula HealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationRula Health provides virtual mental health therapy services for Ambetter Health members. Available to members 5 years and older, offering access to licensed therapists.
• Great SpeechcoreTechnology or IntegrationGreat Speech provides virtual speech therapy services for Ambetter Health members. Offers therapy plans for articulation, autism spectrum disorder, executive function disorders, voice and language disorders, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Available to members 3 years and older.
• National Imaging Associates (NIA)coreTechnology or IntegrationNational Imaging Associates (NIA) manages prior authorization for imaging services including advanced imaging procedures and cardiac imaging programs. Providers must obtain authorization through NIA for specified imaging services.
• AcariaHealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationAcariaHealth provides specialized pharmacy services and specialty pharmacy management for Ambetter Health members.
• Centene CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLouisiana Healthcare Connections is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, one of the largest Medicaid managed care organizations in the United States. Centene provides technology infrastructure, purchasing power, regulatory compliance frameworks, and operational support.
• Express ScriptscoreTechnology or IntegrationExpress Scripts provides pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services including prescription drug coverage, formulary management, and mail-order pharmacy services for Ambetter Health plans.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Humana: Major national Medicare Advantage insurer with significant Louisiana MA membership. Competes with Louisiana Healthcare Connections' Wellcare by Allwell MA plans and is a broader incumbent across government health programs.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana: Dominant Louisiana commercial and Marketplace health insurer and major MA player. Competes with Louisiana Healthcare Connections on ACA Marketplace plans and Medicare Advantage, with much broader commercial market presence.

Direct peers

• Healthy Blue Louisiana: Medicaid managed care plan operating in Louisiana as a subsidiary of Anthem/Elevance Health. Directly competes with Louisiana Healthcare Connections for Louisiana Medicaid members under the same state contract framework.
• Aetna Better Health of Louisiana: CVS Health subsidiary offering Louisiana Medicaid managed care. Direct competitor on the same state Medicaid contract and serves a substantially overlapping low-income population.
• Molina Healthcare: National managed care company focused on Medicaid, Marketplace, and Medicare programs. Closely comparable business model and government program concentration, providing direct peer benchmarking across states.
• Vantage Health Plan: Louisiana-based managed care plan offering HMO, PPO, and Medicare Advantage products. Regional peer competing in the same Louisiana market across both Medicaid-adjacent and Medicare Advantage segments.
• UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Louisiana: UnitedHealth Group's Louisiana Medicaid managed care plan. Competes head-to-head with Louisiana Healthcare Connections on Medicaid contracts and increasingly on dual-eligible populations.
• AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana: Medicaid managed care organization serving Louisiana. Directly competes with Louisiana Healthcare Connections for the same Medicaid managed care contract awards and member populations.

Regional players

• CHRISTUS Health Plan: Louisiana-anchored health plan offering individual, family, and Medicare Advantage coverage. Regional competitor operating primarily in Louisiana and Texas with overlapping Marketplace and MA products.

Others

• Centene Corporation (sister state plans): Parent company and operator of comparable state Medicaid plans such as Sunshine Health (Florida), Peach State Health Plan (Georgia), and Superior HealthPlan (Texas). Closely mirrors Louisiana Healthcare Connections' operating model across products, technology, and contracts at sister subsidiaries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/louisianahealthconnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/louisiana-healthcare-connections-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/louisianahealthcareconnections
• Xx.com/lahealthconnect

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Louisiana Healthcare Connections