Study 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 will lose health coverage and state Medicaid budgets will lose $664 billion. Not every HR-1 provision applies to each state, including Connecticut.
Work requirements are by far, the largest contributor to both coverage and funding losses, in Connecticut as in other states. Starting in January, HR-1 requires people covered by the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, HUSKY Part D In Connecticut, to prove that they are working, volunteering, in school, caring for a fragile person, or a few other exemptions to keep their coverage. Eligibility will need to be reviewed every six months, twice as often as now.
According to RAND, the new work requirements will be responsible for 79,800 people losing coverage and half the total funding cuts in Connecticut.

Medicaid provisions in HR-1 that impact Connecticut include:
| Provision | What it does | Who is impacted |
| Work requirement | Members must work for pay or fit other exemptions | HUSKY Part D |
| Provider taxes | Removes reimbursed state taxes on hospitals to increase federal funding | All |
| Good faith waiver | Fed government won’t forgive good faith errors | All |
| Qualified immigrants | Legally residing asylees and refugees no longer eligible | Asylees and refugees |
| Redeterminations | State must review eligibility twice as often, every 6 months | HUSKY Part D |
For more info on HR-1’s health provisions, go here.
