Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Reaches 250,000 In Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - More than 250,000 people have been enrolled in Louisiana's Medicaid expansion program, which began offering health insurance coverage this month.

The Louisiana Department of Health announced the latest figures Friday.

The state's budget estimates 375,000 will eventually be enrolled, to reach the $180 million savings target assumed from the program. The health department says an average of 2,500 people per day have signed up for coverage since enrollment opened in June.

Louisiana is the first state in the Deep South - and the 31st state nationwide - to expand its Medicaid program under the health law championed by President Barack Obama.

Those eligible for coverage include adults ages 19 to 64 with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, about $33,500 for a family of four.

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