1. A. A member may request disenrollment from an MCO for cause once the member has changed MCOs two times in a calendar year.

2. B. A member may request disenrollment from an MCO without cause at the following times:

   1. 1. during the 90 days following the date of the member's initial enrollment with the MCO or the date the department sends the member notice of the enrollment, whichever is later;
   2. 2. at any time, up to two times per calendar year. After the second transfer, the enrollee will remain in that MCO for the remainder of the calendar year unless they receive approval for a for cause disenrollment;
   3. 3. upon automatic re-enrollment; or
   4. 4. if the department imposes the intermediate sanction against the MCO which grants enrollees the right to terminate enrollment without cause and notifies the affected enrollees of their right to disenroll.

3. C. All member-initiated disenrollment requests must be made to the enrollment broker.

   1. 1. Oral requests to disenroll shall be confirmed by the enrollment broker by return call with written documentation, or in writing to the requestor.
   2. 2. A member’s oral or written request to disenroll must be acted on no later than the first day of the second month following the month in which the member filed the request. If not, the request shall be considered approved.
   3. 3. If the disenrollment request is denied, the member may access the state’s fair hearing process as outlined in the contract.
   4. 4. The effective date of disenrollment shall be no later than the first day of the second month following the calendar month the request for disenrollment is filed.

4. D. Disenrollment for Cause

   1. 1. A member may initiate disenrollment or transfer from their assigned MCO after the first 90 days of enrollment for cause once the member has changed MCOs two times in a calendar year. The following circumstances are cause for disenrollment:

      1. a. the MCO does not, because of moral or religious objections, cover the service that the member seeks;
      2. b. the member needs related services to be performed at the same time, not all related services are available within the MCO and the member's PCP or another provider determines that receiving the services separately would subject the member to unnecessary risk;
      3. c. the contract between the MCO and the department is terminated;
      4. d. to implement the decision of a hearing officer in an appeal proceeding by the member against the MCO or as ordered by a court of law; and

      5. e. other reasons including, but not limited to:

         1. i. poor quality of care;
         2. ii. lack of access to services covered under the contract; or
         3. iii. the member’s active specialized behavioral health provider ceases to contract with the MCO; or
         4. iv. documented lack of access to providers experienced in dealing with the enrollee’s health care needs.

5. E. Involuntary Disenrollment

   1. 1. The MCO may submit an involuntary disenrollment request to the enrollment broker, with proper documentation for fraudulent use of the MCO identification card. In such cases, the MCO shall report the incident to the Bureau of Health Services Financing.
   2. 2. The MCO shall promptly submit such disenrollment requests to the enrollment broker. The effective date of an involuntary disenrollment shall not be earlier than 45 calendar days after the occurrence of the event that prompted the request for involuntary disenrollment. The MCO shall ensure that involuntary disenrollment documents are maintained in an identifiable member record.
   3. 3. All requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and subject to the sole discretion of the department. All decisions are final and are not subject to MCO dispute or appeal.

   4. 4. The MCO may not request disenrollment because of a member’s:

      1. a. health diagnosis;
      2. b. adverse change in health status;
      3. c. utilization of medical services;
      4. d. diminished mental capacity;
      5. e. pre-existing medical condition;
      6. f. refusal of medical care or diagnostic testing;
      7. g. uncooperative or disruptive behavior resulting from his or her special needs;
      8. h. attempt to exercise his/her rights under the MCO’s grievance system; or
      9. i. attempt to exercise his/her right to change, for cause, the primary care provider that he/she has chosen or been assigned.

6. F. Department Initiated Disenrollment

   1. 1. The department will notify the MCO of the member's disenrollment or change in eligibility status due to the following reasons:

      1. a. loss of Medicaid eligibility or loss of MCO enrollment eligibility;
      2. b. death of a member;
      3. c. member’s intentional submission of fraudulent information;
      4. d. member becomes an inmate of a public institution;
      5. e. member moves out of state;
      6. f. member becomes Medicare eligible;
      7. g. member is placed in a nursing facility or intermediate care facility for persons with intellectual disabilities;
      8. h. loss of MCO’s participation.

7. G. If the MCO ceases participation in the Medicaid Program, the MCO shall notify the department in accordance with the termination procedures described in the contract.

   1. 1. The enrollment broker will notify MCO members of the choices of remaining MCOs.
   2. 2. The exiting MCO shall assist the department in transitioning the MCO members to another MCO.

Authority Note

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254 and Title XIX of the Social Security Act.

Historical Note

HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 37:1575 (June 2011), amended LR 40:311 (February 2014), LR 41:931 (May 2015), LR 41:2365 (November 2015), amended by the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 52:227 (February 2026).