HUSKY changes coming -- Caregivers keep your coverage

The 2025 federal budget bill, HR-1, made important changes to Medicaid, affecting Connecticut’s HUSKY program. Starting this January, all HUSKY Part D members must be working, going to school, in job training, or volunteering in their community to keep their healthcare coverage. Under HR-1, HUSKY Part D members must also renew their HUSKY with DSS every six months, instead of each year. Only HUSKY Part D adults ages 19 to 64 are affected by the new requirement.

There are several exemptions to the work requirement, including people caring for someone with serious health problems.

The state is working hard to ensure that every eligible HUSKY member keeps their coverage. DSS will try to verify that members meet the requirement with the information they already have available. If they need documentation, they will contact members to let them know what to provide. The details on the work requirement process are still being worked out.

Source: Caregiving in the US 2025: Connecticut, October 2025, AARP

One in five Connecticut caregivers struggle to care for their own health. Medicaid is critical to staying healthy for themselves and the people they care for. Almost half struggle with finances due to their caregiving responsibilities and couldn’t afford health insurance if they lose HUSKY.

To keep HUSKY, Connecticut caregivers will have to document their exemption with the state. As of this writing, the system to document exemptions has not been finalized.

There is no data source to help the state find caregivers in Connecticut. It’s critical that all of us let caregivers, healthcare providers, and communities know about this exemption.