To qualify for Medicaid in Connecticut, you need to be a state resident, a U.S. citizen or qualifying non-citizen, and within the income limit for one of the four HUSKY Health programs run by the Department of Social Services (DSS). If you are 65 or older, blind, or disabled, you also have to stay under a low asset limit. Everyone else is judged on income alone.
Which HUSKY Program Applies to You
The program you fall into decides both the income cap and whether your savings count. There are four.
- HUSKY A covers children through age 18, pregnant individuals, and parents or caretaker relatives of minor children. Income only; no asset test.
- HUSKY B is the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program for uninsured children under 19 whose household income is too high for HUSKY A. Families pay modest cost-sharing based on their income band.1HUSKY Health. How to Qualify
- HUSKY C covers people who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled. Income and asset tests both apply.
- HUSKY D covers adults ages 19 to 64 who do not have Medicare, are not pregnant, and have no dependent child under 19 in the household. Income only.
Income Limits by Program
HUSKY A, B, and D use Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) rules, which look at your tax-based income and ignore assets entirely. The numbers below come from the DSS income chart effective March 1, 2026, and change each year when the federal poverty level updates.2Connecticut Department of Social Services. HUSKY Health Annual Income Chart March 1, 2026
HUSKY A
Annual household income limits for children through age 18:
- Family of 2: under $32,080
- Family of 3: under $43,496
- Family of 4: under $54,913
- Family of 5: under $66,330
Limits for pregnant individuals are much higher:
- Family of 2: under $56,913
- Family of 3: under $71,852
- Family of 4: under $86,790
- Family of 5: under $101,728
Limits for parents and caretaker relatives:
- Family of 2: under $37,702
- Family of 3: under $45,540
- Family of 4: under $53,378
- Family of 5: under $61,217
HUSKY B
Children who earn too much for HUSKY A but stay under roughly 323% of the federal poverty level can qualify for HUSKY B. The program is split into two cost-sharing bands. For a family of four, Band 1 covers annual income from $54,913 to $69,393, and Band 2 covers income from $69,393 to $88,244.2Connecticut Department of Social Services. HUSKY Health Annual Income Chart March 1, 2026 Connecticut also extends prenatal coverage under HUSKY B to pregnant non-citizens who would not otherwise qualify, as long as household income falls within program limits.
HUSKY D
HUSKY D reaches adults up to roughly 138% of the federal poverty level. A single adult qualifies with annual income under $22,025. A household of two qualifies under $29,863.2Connecticut Department of Social Services. HUSKY Health Annual Income Chart March 1, 2026
HUSKY C
HUSKY C does not use MAGI. The income limit for a single person is roughly $851 per month before certain disregards for unearned income.1HUSKY Health. How to Qualify If your income exceeds the limit, you can still qualify through a spend-down, which works like a deductible: you pay medical expenses out of pocket until your remaining income drops below the threshold, and Medicaid picks up the rest.
Asset Limits for HUSKY C
HUSKY A, B, and D count no assets at all. HUSKY C is different. A single applicant must have countable assets below $1,600, and a married couple must stay below $2,400.1HUSKY Health. How to Qualify These thresholds are among the lowest in the country. The legislature has considered raising them, but as of early 2026 the existing figures still apply.
Not everything you own is counted. Connecticut exempts:
- Your primary home, provided your equity interest stays within the federally allowed limit (most states set this between roughly $752,000 and $1,130,000, adjusted annually)
- One vehicle
- Personal belongings and household goods
- Term life insurance policies
- Burial funds up to a set amount
Bank accounts, investment accounts, additional real estate, and cash-value life insurance all count. DSS reviews 60 months of financial records on HUSKY C and long-term care applications, so pull statements for every account before you apply. Missing one can delay a decision by weeks.
MED-Connect for Working People With Disabilities
If you have a disability and earn wages, the standard HUSKY C income and asset limits don’t apply the way you might expect. Connecticut’s MED-Connect program lets people with disabilities keep full Medicaid coverage while earning up to $85,000 per year, with no spend-down required.3Connecticut Department of Social Services. MED-Connect Medicaid for Employees with Disabilities It exists to remove the income cliff that would otherwise force people off Medicaid the moment they start working.
Residency and Citizenship
Every HUSKY applicant must live in Connecticut. You also need to be a U.S. citizen or a qualifying non-citizen. Legal permanent residents (green card holders) are generally subject to a five-year waiting period before they can receive full Medicaid benefits. Refugees, asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and trafficking victims are exempt from that wait and can apply right away.4Medicaid.gov. Overview of Eligibility for Non-Citizens in Medicaid and CHIP
Transfers Within the Past Five Years
If you are applying for HUSKY C or long-term care Medicaid, DSS examines every financial transaction from the previous 60 months. Any transfer of assets for less than fair market value in that window triggers a penalty period during which Medicaid will not pay for nursing home or long-term care services.
Connecticut calculates the penalty by dividing the total value of disqualifying transfers by the state’s average monthly private-pay nursing home cost. From July 2025 through June 2026, that divisor is $15,526. A gift of $77,630 would therefore create a five-month penalty. Transfers to a spouse, to a blind or disabled child, or into certain trusts for a disabled person do not trigger a penalty. Returning transferred assets to the applicant can also eliminate or reduce the penalty.
Spousal Protections for Long-Term Care
When one spouse needs nursing home care or home and community-based services and the other stays in the community, federal spousal impoverishment rules keep the community spouse from being wiped out. Connecticut follows those rules. The community spouse can retain a Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance of at least $2,643.75 and up to $4,066.50, depending on housing and other costs.5Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. January 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Updates The community spouse also keeps a share of the couple’s countable assets, known as the Community Spouse Resource Allowance, which CMS updates annually. Income held in the community spouse’s own name is not counted against the applicant.
How to Apply and What to Gather
Before you file, pull together the basics for each household member: Social Security numbers, proof of identity (driver’s license, state ID, or birth certificate), and proof of Connecticut residency such as a utility bill or lease. For income verification, gather recent pay stubs, your most recent tax return, and statements for any benefits you receive (Social Security, pensions, veterans’ benefits, unemployment). If you’re self-employed, bring profit-and-loss records.
HUSKY C and long-term care applications need much more: bank statements, investment account records, life insurance policies, deeds to any real estate, vehicle titles, and 60 months of statements for every account. Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, and burial fund documentation are also commonly requested.
You can submit the application three ways.6Connecticut Department of Social Services. How to Apply
- Online at connect.ct.gov, where you can complete the application, upload documents, and track status.
- By mail to the DSS ConneCT Scanning Center, P.O. Box 1320, Manchester, CT 06045.
- In person at a DSS resource center, where staff can help you complete forms or you can use an outside drop-box.
Long-term care applications may be routed through a designated Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Application Center rather than the standard ConneCT process.7211 Connecticut. Application Process for Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports If DSS contacts you during the review for additional documents, respond quickly. Failing to return requested information by the deadline in the notice is one of the most common reasons applications are denied.