HUSKY Health Income Limits 2026: Connecticut Medicaid

Applying is free, and HUSKY Health is coverage for medical care, not a cash benefit. For other states, see our national Medicaid income limits guide.

HUSKY Health Income Limits by Household Size (2026)

Connecticut sorts its MAGI coverage into 4 HUSKY income limits plus two HUSKY B bands for children. According to the DSS Program Standards Chart data effective March 1, 2026, a family of four stays eligible as parents under $3,795 a month, as children under $5,528, as a pregnant person under $7,233, and for HUSKY B up to $8,883. All figures are gross monthly income.

Sources: DSS Program Standards Chart, as of March 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab) and HUSKY Health Monthly Income Guidelines, effective March 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab). The HUSKY chart lists income as "under" each figure. A parent household always has at least 2 people, and the unborn child always counts in a pregnancy household, so a one-person pregnancy figure applies only in unusual cases. DSS's percentages (138%, 201%, 254%, 263%, 323%) are 5 points above the base rates on Medicaid.gov, reflecting the 5% income disregard. DSS doesn't publish an add-per-person amount; call DSS for households over 8.

Yearly limits from the DSS annual chart

Source: DSS HUSKY Health Annual Income Guidelines, effective March 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab). The annual chart stops at 6 people.

HUSKY B costs: Band 1 has no monthly premium but some copays. Band 2 charges $30 a month for one child or $50 for more than one, and DSS's HUSKY B page says a family's premiums and cost-sharing shouldn't exceed 5% of gross income for the year.

HUSKY C, Medicare savings and long-term care limits

HUSKY C covers people 65 and older and people 18 to 65 who are blind or have another disability, including long-term services and supports.

Sources: DSS HUSKY C page (opens in a new tab) and Program Standards Chart (opens in a new tab). The chart lists the 2026 SSI federal payment as $994 for one person and $1,491 for a couple.

How HUSKY Health Counts Your Income

DSS applies 2 different income methods, and the one you fall under depends on age, disability and Medicare.

MAGI rules apply to HUSKY A, B and D. Income follows federal tax definitions: wages, self-employment profit, unemployment pay and taxable Social Security count, while child support received and SSI don't. The household follows tax filing, so it's usually you, a spouse and the dependents you claim, and a pregnant person counts the unborn child. The Program Standards Chart notes "HUSKY A, B, D - no asset test for most groups."

The 5% disregard. Federal rules subtract 5% of the poverty line before comparing MAGI income to the limit. DSS already adds those 5 points to its published percentages, so 133% becomes 138% for adults and 196% becomes 201% for children.

Non-MAGI rules apply to HUSKY C, long-term care and the Medicare Savings Programs. They follow SSI-style budgeting with income deductions; the Program Standards Chart lists a $562 unearned income disregard and a "$65 plus half" earned income disregard for AABD, MAABD and long-term care cases. Assets count here, and DSS says long-term care applicants who haven't had DSS Medicaid get a five-year review of income and assets.

For example, a family of three in Hartford earning $3,400 a month gross (a parent, a 3-year-old and an 11-year-old) gets two answers. The parent is specifically $258 over the $3,142 HUSKY A parent limit. Both children qualify for no-cost HUSKY A, because Connecticut uses one 201% limit ($4,577 for three) for every child under 19. The parent's yearly income of $40,800 is under the Covered Connecticut Program's $46,637.50 limit for three, so the parent should check Covered CT through Access Health CT before buying a plan.

HUSKY C Asset Limits and Long-Term Care Rules

$1,600 is the HUSKY C asset limit for a single person and $2,400 for a married couple, according to the DSS HUSKY C program guide; that's lower than the $2,000 SSI standard many states use. HUSKY A, B and D have no asset test for most groups.

Long-term care uses these 2026 figures from the Program Standards Chart:

• Income limit: $2,982 a month for a single person in a nursing home or on a Medicaid waiver.
• Spousal protection: the spouse at home keeps a protected amount (CSPA) between $50,000 and $162,660, plus a monthly maintenance allowance (MMNA) of up to $4,066.50, both effective January 1, 2026.
• Personal needs: a nursing home resident keeps $75 a month; waiver participants keep up to $2,660 (200% of poverty).
• Home equity: the excess home equity limit for an institutionalized person is $1,130,000.

The chart lists the average monthly skilled nursing facility cost of care as $15,526 from July 1, 2025. Transfer penalties are generally set by dividing an improper gift by the average monthly cost, so a $46,578 gift inside the five-year review would equal about 3 months at that rate. Families planning for long-term care should talk with a legal aid office or an elder law attorney before moving assets.

Status of 2026 asset bills. Two 2026 bills would have raised the HUSKY C asset limit: SB 326 (opens in a new tab), which would phase it up and then end it, and HB 5302 (opens in a new tab), which would have set it at $5,000 single and $7,500 married from July 1, 2026. The General Assembly's bill status pages show no final passage for either; SB 326's last action was April 20, 2026 and HB 5302's was a referral to Appropriations on April 7, 2026. DSS's HUSKY C page and standards chart still list $1,600.

Expansion vs Non-Expansion: Connecticut's Position in 2026

Connecticut expanded Medicaid, so HUSKY D covers adults 19 to 64 without minor children at 138% of poverty, the same line HUSKY A uses for parents. The Medicaid.gov eligibility levels table (opens in a new tab) (as of December 1, 2023) lists Connecticut at 133% for expansion adults, 196% for children, 258% for pregnancy and 318% for separate CHIP, which match the DSS chart once the 5% disregard is added. It also shows 155% for parents and caretakers, but DSS's current chart uses 138% for HUSKY A parents; go by the DSS chart. For contrast, our Texas guide shows a non-expansion state, and our New York and New Jersey guides cover the neighboring states.

Already in effect: October 1, 2026. DSS's H.R.1 article says HUSKY eligibility for non-citizens is now limited to lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants and COFA citizens, and refugees, asylees, trafficking victims, humanitarian parolees and others who used to qualify no longer do because of immigration status. State-funded HUSKY A and HUSKY B still cover children 0 to 15 regardless of status (through 18 if enrolled before 16), and HUSKY B Prenatal covers pregnant non-citizens.

Coming dates DSS lists:

• January 1, 2027, work requirements for adults 19 to 64 on HUSKY D: 80 hours a month of work, community service, a work or training program, or half-time school, or monthly income of at least 80 times the $7.25 federal minimum wage ($580).
• January 1, 2027, 6-month renewals for HUSKY D members instead of yearly.
• Applications from January 1, 2027: retroactive coverage drops to 1 month for expansion adults and 2 months for others, from 3.
• October 1, 2028: cost-sharing for HUSKY D adults over 100% of poverty, up to $35 per service and no more than 5% of income, with primary, prenatal, pediatric and FQHC care excluded; and a $1 million home equity cap for long-term care.

DSS lists exemptions for pregnant and postpartum people, young people in foster care or former foster youth, American Indians, veterans with rated disabilities, medically frail people, people in substance use treatment, people meeting SNAP or TANF work rules, parents and caregivers of a child 13 or younger or a person with a disability, people released from incarceration in the last 90 days, and people with a short-term hardship.

What Connecticut DSS Doesn't Tell You About HUSKY Limits

Grantsights compared the DSS income charts, standards chart and program pages and found 5 points worth knowing before you apply:

1. Seniors face a much lower bar than younger adults. Grantsights analysis of the March 1, 2026 DSS figures shows HUSKY C's $851 single limit is $985 a month below the $1,836 HUSKY D limit. A 64-year-old and a 66-year-old with the same Social Security check can get opposite answers, so older adults should ask about spend-down and the Medicare Savings Programs.
2. Medicare Savings Programs reach far higher. QMB goes to $2,807 a month for one person, more than three times the HUSKY C limit, and pays Medicare premiums and cost-sharing.
3. Connecticut's pregnancy limit is unusually high. At $5,988 a month for three, HUSKY A for pregnancy sits $911 above New York's $5,077 and $1,320 above New Jersey's $4,668 CHIP pregnancy line for the same household size.
4. The children's band runs far above the parents'. HUSKY B Band 2 reaches $8,883 a month for four, $5,088 above the $3,795 parent limit, and Band 1 has no premium at all.
5. Covered CT fills the gap above 138%. Many adults underestimate this one. Covered CT's 2026 limit for one person is $27,387.50, which works out to 175% of the 2025 poverty guideline rather than the 2026 one, and it includes dental and non-emergency rides at no cost.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

These errors cause many wrong HUSKY answers:

• Using after-tax pay. All HUSKY A, B and D limits are gross monthly income.
• Reading the "under" figure as allowed. DSS's chart says "Under $1,836." If your income lands exactly on that figure, ask DSS how it rounds.
• Mixing up HUSKY C and HUSKY D. A common mistake is a disabled adult on Medicare checking the HUSKY D number; anyone with Medicare goes through HUSKY C or the Medicare Savings Programs.
• Skipping the kids after a parent is denied. Children qualify at much higher incomes, and state-funded coverage reaches young children regardless of immigration status.
• Paying for help. HUSKY and Covered CT applications are free, and DSS and Access Health CT don't charge. A red flag is any caller, website or "enrollment service" asking for a fee, gift cards or banking passwords to file or speed things up.
• Missing renewal mail in 2027. HUSKY D moves to 6-month renewals on January 1, 2027.

How to Apply for HUSKY Health and How Long It Takes

Federal rules give DSS up to 45 days to decide most Medicaid applications and 90 days when disability is the basis, under 42 CFR 435.912 (opens in a new tab). HUSKY C and long-term care cases often need more documents, so send them early.

1. HUSKY A, B and D online: through Access Health CT, Connecticut's marketplace, as described on the DSS HUSKY A page (opens in a new tab).
2. By phone: Access Health CT at 1-855-805-4325.
3. By mail or in person: send the AH3 paper application to Access Health CT, P.O. Box 670, Manchester, CT 06045-0670, or visit a DSS regional office.
4. HUSKY C and long-term care: apply with DSS rather than Access Health CT, through a DSS MyAccount on ConneCT or MyDSS, or at a DSS regional office.

Bring pay stubs or your latest tax return, Social Security numbers, and identity and immigration documents. Nursing home and waiver applicants should gather five years of financial records for the DSS review. If you also need food help, our Connecticut food stamps guide covers SNAP, which uses different limits.

What to Do If You're Denied

You have 60 days from the date on the DSS Notice of Action to request a hearing, according to the DSS Requesting a Hearing page (opens in a new tab). For Medicaid, benefits can continue while you wait if you ask any time before the date the proposed action takes effect, which is more forgiving than the 10-day rule DSS uses for most other programs.

Start with the reason on the notice. For income denials, compare the figure DSS used with your gross monthly pay and household size, and check whether it applied the March 1, 2026 chart. If you're over HUSKY C's limit, ask whether a spend-down applies before you appeal.

If You're Over the HUSKY Limit

Being a little over $1,836 still leaves at least 5 options, and Covered CT is the first one most adults should check:

• Covered Connecticut Program: no-cost coverage for adults 19 to 64 up to 175% of poverty ($56,262.50 a year for four in 2026) who enroll in a silver plan through Access Health CT.
• Access Health CT plans with tax credits above that line; HealthCare.gov's savings page (opens in a new tab) explains how premium tax credits work.
• HUSKY B for children up to 323% of poverty, with no premium in Band 1.
• Medicare Savings Programs for people with Medicare, up to $3,272 a month for one person in ALMB.
• HUSKY C spend-down for seniors and people with disabilities whose income is over $851.

Our federal poverty guidelines guide lays out each percentage, our WIC income limits guide covers pregnant women and young children, and our SSI income limits guide and help for seniors programs guide cover older adults. For heating costs, see our LIHEAP income limits guide. If you need help beyond health coverage, Grantsights' free eligibility checker can show official programs for rent, utilities and other needs; it doesn't decide HUSKY eligibility or file an application for you.

FAQ: Connecticut Medicaid Income Limits

What is the income limit for HUSKY Health in Connecticut in 2026?

Under $1,836 a month for one adult and under $3,795 for four, effective March 1, 2026.

How much can a family of 4 make and get HUSKY in Connecticut?

Parents under $3,795 a month; children under $5,528 in HUSKY A and up to $8,883 in HUSKY B.

What is the HUSKY income limit for pregnant women?

Under $4,743 a month for two and $5,988 for three.

What is the HUSKY C income limit for seniors?

$851 a month for one person and $1,153 for a couple, with $1,600 and $2,400 asset limits.

What is the income limit for nursing home Medicaid in Connecticut?

$2,982 a month for a single person, with a $1,600 asset limit.

What is the Covered Connecticut Program?

No-cost coverage for adults 19 to 64 up to 175% of poverty who are over the HUSKY limit.

When do HUSKY work requirements start?

January 1, 2027, for HUSKY D adults 19 to 64.

How long do I have to request a hearing on a HUSKY decision?

60 days from the notice; ask before the action date to keep Medicaid.

---

Sources

1. Connecticut DSS: HUSKY Health Monthly Income Guidelines, effective March 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
2. Connecticut DSS: HUSKY Health Annual Income Guidelines, effective March 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
3. Connecticut DSS: Program Standards Chart, as of March 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - HUSKY percentages, HUSKY C, long-term care, Medicare Savings Programs, SSI
4. Connecticut DSS: What is HUSKY A? (opens in a new tab)
5. Connecticut DSS: What is HUSKY B? (opens in a new tab)
6. Connecticut DSS: What is HUSKY C? (opens in a new tab)
7. Connecticut DSS: What will change with DSS benefits following H.R.1? (opens in a new tab) - non-citizen rules October 1, 2026; work rules, renewals and retroactive coverage January 1, 2027
8. Connecticut DSS: Covered Connecticut Program (opens in a new tab) - 2026 plan-year income limits
9. Connecticut DSS: Requesting a Hearing (opens in a new tab)
10. Connecticut General Assembly: SB 326 bill status, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
11. Connecticut General Assembly: HB 5302 bill status, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
12. eCFR: 42 CFR 435.912, Timely determination of eligibility (opens in a new tab)
13. HHS ASPE: 2026 Poverty Guidelines (opens in a new tab)
14. Medicaid.gov eligibility levels table (December 2023 data), used here for Connecticut (opens in a new tab), as of December 1, 2023
15. HealthCare.gov: Lower costs on Marketplace coverage (opens in a new tab)