Federal cuts
CT joins 24 other states suing CMS over Medicaid work requirements
Twenty five states, including Connecticut, and the District of Columbia, have filed a lawsuit againstagainst the federal Medicaid administration (CMS) for going beyond the language of the law (HR-1) that imposed work requirements on 300,000 HUSKY Part D members. Medicaid provides healthcare coverage to Connecticut’s most fragile residents, easing both health and economic frailty. That’s…
Read MoreUpdated again: HUSKY and work requirements – Incorporating the new federal rule
Updated June 30, 2026 to include states’ lawsuit Download the update corrected version with revisions highlighted Download a clean version of the update To incorporate new federal regulations, we’ve again updated our paper with recommendations for implementing federal changes and cuts to Connecticut’s Medicaid program that become effective January 1st of next year. This version…
Read MoreCTNJ: Federal Medicaid Rule Hard For Caregivers, Worse For Their Frail Patients
The 387-page regulations came out earlier this month, telling states how to implement the scary, new federal Medicaid work requirements. The regulations came with both a curious contradiction and a surprise for states that had been working with federal regulators. The new regulations on who is exempted from work requirements to keep their healthcare coverage…
Read MoreHospital chapter in CT Healthcare Explained updated
We’ve updated the Hospitals chapter of CT Healthcare Explained. The update was prompted by new numbers and new topics, including potential impact of federal Medicaid cuts, payment rates, Medicaid rates, and private equity . CT Healthcare Explained is our explainer website cutting through the complexities of our state’s healthcare system. Like the other 17 topic…
Read MoreOne in ten CT adults forgo needed medical care due to cost, HR-1 likely to increase that rate
In 2024, 9.9% of adults in Connecticut missed needed care because of cost in 2024, according to an analysis of SHADAC data. That’s better than the US average at 12.4%. Both had been dropping as the number of uninsured fell but began rising again after COVID. Medical inflation has grown faster than general inflation since…
Read MoreNebraska starts Medicaid work requirements tomorrow — Lessons for CT
Download this article Advocates, providers, and Medicaid agencies are watching Nebraska this week as they launch work requirements in their Medicaid program. States have been working to implement the complex, federally mandated requirements passed last summer in HR-1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Previous efforts in Arkansas and Georgia failed badly. Unfortunately, while the…
Read MoreHelp Medicaid members keep healthcare benefits under threat
As federal Medicaid cuts loom, DSS is urging HUSKY and SNAP recipients to update their contact information. The federal budget bill, HR-1, passed in July, included significant cuts to both HUSKY and SNAP. It is expected that thousands of Connecticut residents will lose benefits. The bill also added complex administrative burdens for over 300,000 HUSKY…
Read MoreStudy finds federal Medicaid cuts will drop 114,300 people and cost $8.3 billion in CT
A new study by RAND researchers details the likely Medicaid impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill (HR-1) by state. Connecticut stands to lose $8.3 billion in Medicaid funding, and 114,300 state residents will lose coverage. The report parses the impact by each provision of HR-1 over the next ten years. Nationally, 7.6 million Americans…
Read MoreUpdated: HUSKY and work requirements – How to make it work
Download the update with revisions highlighted Download a clean version We’ve updated our paper with recommendations for implementing federal changes and cuts to Medicaid that becomes effective January 1st of next year. It’s expected that 137,000 Connecticut residents will lose coverage and our state will lose $118 billion over the next ten years as a…
Read MoreCTNJ: Advice to CT’s next Medicaid Director
Welcome. You’re taking on a big job at a difficult time. Your program covers healthcare for one in five state residents and is about a quarter of the state budget. But we’re in a very good place and you’ll have lots of help. The good news first. Read more
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