How to get HUSKY Health or low-cost care in Connecticut

The groups inside HUSKY Health

Medicaid is a program that pays for health care for people with lower incomes. In Connecticut, the program goes by the name HUSKY Health. The state's Department of Social Services works with Access Health CT to handle sign-ups. Coverage is open to eligible children and parents, relative caregivers, older adults, people with disabilities, adults without dependent children and pregnant people.

The program uses letters to sort people into groups. HUSKY A is for children, parents and caretaker relatives, while HUSKY B is for children only. HUSKY C is for older adults and people with disabilities. HUSKY D is for adults without minor children, and it is the group that came from Medicaid expansion.

The state expanded Medicaid on January 1, 2014, and that is how HUSKY D began. For HUSKY D, the limit is 138 percent of the federal poverty level, which is a yearly dollar amount the government uses to measure poverty. The exact figure depends on how many people live in your home. Our guide on who qualifies for Medicaid explains each group.

Applying through Access Health CT

Access Health CT is the state's official health insurance marketplace, and it is also where you apply for HUSKY A, B or D. You can go to the website to start an account, or you can call 1-855-805-4325. People who use a text telephone can call the TTY line at 1-855-789-2428. You can also schedule an appointment with an enrollment specialist.

The steps are a little different for HUSKY C. If you are applying because you are older or have a disability, use the Department of Social Services instead. That office answers at 1-855-626-6632 for these applications.

Our guide on how to apply for Medicaid lists the papers to gather first. After you are covered, tell the state when your address or phone number changes. The state has a page called Update Us for that, and members can also sign in to their Access Health CT account.

Covered Connecticut for people just over the limit

Covered Connecticut is a program the state created and pays for. It gives people who qualify health insurance and dental coverage at no cost, and it pays for some rides to care. The state says it may help if you do not qualify for HUSKY Health. It uses private insurance plans, and you can check your eligibility on the Access Health CT website.

If your income is a little too high for HUSKY D, ask about this program before you give up on free coverage.

HUSKY D changes begin January 1, 2027

Connecticut's Department of Social Services and Access Health CT say the HUSKY D changes begin on January 1, 2027. The new rules affect adults ages 19 to 64 on HUSKY D who are able to work. Members with HUSKY A, B or C do not have to follow them.

To meet the rule, you show one of three things each month. You can earn at least $580, or you can spend 80 hours working, in job training or doing community service. Being in school at least half time also counts. Renewals also move from once a year to every six months.

The state keeps a list of who is exempt. Parents and caretakers of a child 13 or younger do not have to meet the rule. Neither do people who care for someone with a disability. People who are pregnant or were pregnant in the last 12 months are exempt as well. So are people who are medically frail or have Medicare.

The Department of Social Services plans to send notices by mail, email or text to the people who must report. It says more details on what counts and how to report are coming. The state has an online pre-screener that helps you check whether the rules apply to you. You can also call 2-1-1 for free local help. Our Medicaid work requirement guide explains the national picture.

If your income is above the HUSKY limit

Access Health CT sells private plans and checks if you qualify for help with the monthly cost. Its open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from October 23, 2026, through January 15, 2027. To start coverage on January 1, 2027, sign up by December 15, 2026. To start on February 1, sign up by January 15.

The federal bonus tax credits ended after 2025, and the old 400 percent of poverty cap returned in 2026. So it is worth comparing plans again this year. If you lost a job, our guide on what to do after losing insurance explains the 60-day sign-up window.

Where to go for care, and what to do in an emergency

Community health centers are clinics that get federal money and charge by income and family size. These clinics treat everyone, with or without coverage. Use the free Find a Health Center tool from the Health Resources and Services Administration and enter your zip code. The Community Health Center Association of Connecticut represents these centers in the state. Our guide to sliding-scale clinics can help you compare prices.

The state Department of Public Health licenses doctors. Its eLicense Online site has a License Lookup page where you can search by profession and by first and last name.

Some Connecticut doctors offer direct primary care, which means a flat monthly fee for visits and no insurance billing. You can search cash-pay doctors in our directory. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing or any other emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Federal law says an emergency room must examine you whether or not you can pay. If a bill comes later, ask the hospital about its financial assistance program.