Losing HUSKY Health in Connecticut often feels sudden, but the cause is usually procedural. HUSKY Health, Connecticut's brand for Medicaid and CHIP, covers adults, parents, pregnant individuals, and children, and in 2026 the program still ends coverage for people who miss a renewal form, whose mail goes to an old address, or whose income now sits above 138% FPL ($22,025 for one person, $45,540 for a family of 4 in 2026). Federal rules treat the loss of Medicaid or CHIP as a qualifying life event, so a 60-day Special Enrollment Period opens at Access Health CT, Connecticut's state-based Marketplace. Your first job is to find the end date on your notice, because that date starts every clock on this page: the 60-day SEP, the 60-day window to ask the Department of Social Services (DSS) for a hearing, and the 90-day federal window to return missing renewal paperwork. This guide walks through each option in the order that protects your coverage fastest.
Access Health CT is the single front door for most Connecticut residents in 2026. HUSKY A, HUSKY B, and HUSKY D renewals run through Access Health CT, so the same online account that handles your Medicaid also shops for Marketplace plans, which makes the dual-track approach simpler than in states that split the systems. HUSKY C (aged, blind, and disabled) and Medicare Savings Program cases run through DSS instead. Connecticut also runs Covered CT, a state-funded program that in 2026 pays the full premium and cost sharing on a Silver plan for adults with income up to 175% FPL who do not qualify for HUSKY, which fills the gap that exists in many other states. Because Connecticut expanded Medicaid, the Medicaid income limits and ACA income limits fit together tightly: HUSKY D below 138% FPL, Covered CT up to 175% FPL, and premium tax credits up to 400% FPL in 2026. The sections below show how to pick among them and which documents to gather.
7 Steps to Get Coverage
Common Mistakes That Cost People Thousands
Connecticut residents lose coverage in 2026 most often through these avoidable mistakes:
- Choosing between an appeal and a new plan. File the hearing request or renewal paperwork and enroll in an Access Health CT plan in the same week, because the clocks run in parallel and a plan protects you if the appeal fails.
- Letting the notice sit unopened. HUSKY notices carry the hearing deadline, and a request made before the date of the proposed action can keep benefits going, while a late request cannot.
- Using healthcare.gov. Connecticut runs its own state-based Marketplace, so enrollment happens at accesshealthct.com or by phone at 855-805-4325, not at healthcare.gov.
- Reporting 2025 income instead of projected 2026 income. Premium tax credits and Covered CT eligibility use your 2026 estimate, and an inaccurate estimate can create a repayment bill when you reconcile Form 1095-A.
- Picking a Bronze plan when Covered CT or Silver cost-sharing reductions apply. Covered CT requires a Silver plan, and Silver plans unlock lower deductibles for incomes up to 250% FPL in 2026.
Why HUSKY Health Coverage Ends in Connecticut in 2026 and What Triggers the SEP
HUSKY Health terminations in Connecticut fall into three groups. Procedural terminations happen when a renewal form is not returned or mail reaches an old address, and they are the easiest to reverse because federal rule 42 CFR 435.916 requires the state to reconsider you without a new application if you return the paperwork within 90 days after termination. Income terminations happen when verified data shows your household now sits above the limit: 138% FPL for HUSKY D adults ($22,025 for one person in 2026), 201% FPL for HUSKY A children, or 323% FPL for HUSKY B children. Category changes happen when a child turns 19, a pregnancy ends, or a parent no longer has a child under 19 at home, which moves you from one HUSKY program to another or off the program. Renewals for HUSKY A, B, and D run through Access Health CT, while HUSKY C and Medicare Savings Program cases run through DSS, so check which agency sent your notice. Residents who cannot tell whether a termination was correct can call the Office of the Healthcare Advocate at 866-466-4446 for free help, and the same office assists with Access Health CT enrollment problems after HUSKY ends.
Federal Marketplace rules treat the loss of Medicaid or CHIP as a qualifying life event, and Access Health CT lists "No longer eligible for Medicaid/HUSKY Health" among its qualifying events with a 60-day window. Federal law enacted in July 2025 (H.R. 1) also requires states to add work-requirement checks and more frequent renewals for expansion adults starting no later than January 1, 2027, so Connecticut HUSKY D members should expect more verification steps next year and should keep their address, phone, and email current with Access Health CT. KFF tracks how states are implementing these changes. Keep every notice, because the termination letter is both your SEP proof and your hearing record. Watch both your mail and your online account for notices, since a missed notice is the most common way a person learns about a termination only after the hearing clock is already running, and update your contact information at accesshealthct.com the same day you move or change phone numbers.
HUSKY, Covered CT, and Premium Tax Credit Thresholds in Connecticut for 2026
Connecticut HUSKY income limits and Marketplace subsidy thresholds form a ladder in 2026. In 2026, adults 19 to 64 qualify for free HUSKY D under 138% FPL: $22,025 for one person, $29,863 for two, $37,702 for three, and $45,540 for a family of 4 per the DSS chart effective March 1, 2026. Between 138% and 175% FPL, Covered CT pays the entire Silver premium and cost sharing, with a 2026 limit of $27,387.50 for one person and $56,262.50 for a family of 4. From 175% up to 400% FPL ($63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of 4 in 2026), premium tax credits shrink as income rises. Above 400% FPL, the 2026 subsidy cliff applies after enhanced credits expired on January 1, 2026, and you pay the full premium. Because HUSKY has no asset test for adults, savings and a car do not count against you in 2026, only monthly income does. A job with variable hours can put a household above the line one month and below it the next, so report your best estimate for the year.
Children follow separate rules in Connecticut in 2026. In 2026, HUSKY A covers children up to 201% FPL, HUSKY B Band 1 covers children above that level with no monthly premium and some copayments, and HUSKY B Band 2 reaches 323% FPL with a monthly premium of $30 for one child or $50 for more than one child. Pregnant individuals qualify for HUSKY A up to 263% FPL in 2026. Because the Medicaid income limits for children sit far above the adult limit, a parent who loses HUSKY D or HUSKY A coverage often has children who stay eligible, so apply for the children even while you shop for your own plan. Medicaid is open year-round, which means a later drop in income is a reason to reapply immediately. A family can therefore mix programs in 2026: a parent on a Covered CT Silver plan, a toddler on HUSKY A, and a teenager on HUSKY B Band 1, all managed from one Access Health CT account.
Access Health CT in 2026 and 2027: Plans, Open Enrollment Dates, and Tax Reconciliation
Access Health CT is Connecticut's state-based Marketplace, so residents enroll at accesshealthct.com or by phone at 855-805-4325 and never at healthcare.gov. The 2027 Open Enrollment Period opens October 23, 2026, and a plan selected on or before December 15, 2026 starts coverage on January 1, 2027, according to the Connecticut Insurance Department, which lists December 23, 2026 as the closing date. Because Open Enrollment for 2027 opens October 23, 2026, anyone whose HUSKY ended in recent weeks can use the 60-day SEP for coverage that starts sooner and then keep or change the plan during Open Enrollment for 2027. Confirm the closing date with Access Health CT before relying on it, because Connecticut moved its dates earlier than the November 1 to January 15 schedule it used in prior years. Carriers and networks differ from plan to plan, so compare doctor lists and drug formularies before you pick, and remember that a plan chosen during the SEP can still be changed during Open Enrollment for 2027.
Premium tax credits you receive through Access Health CT are reconciled on your federal tax return using Form 1095-A, which the Marketplace sends in January 2027 for 2026 coverage. If you report income that is too low for 2026, you may owe back part of the credit, and if you report income that is too high, you can claim the difference at tax time. Update your income in your Access Health CT account whenever it changes, and report a return to HUSKY promptly, because a person cannot receive premium tax credits while enrolled in Medicaid. Covered CT members have their premiums paid by the state, but they still receive a Form 1095-A and should keep it with their tax records. Keep a copy of your final Access Health CT application and every income update, since the Marketplace compares reported income with IRS data and may ask for proof when the two differ.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SEP window after losing HUSKY Health in Connecticut?
You have 60 days from the date your HUSKY Health coverage ends to enroll in an Access Health CT plan under the Marketplace Special Enrollment Period. For example, if HUSKY ends October 31, 2026, the window runs November 1 through December 30, 2026. Access Health CT is Connecticut's state-based Marketplace, so you apply at accesshealthct.com or call 855-805-4325, not at healthcare.gov. Choose a plan by the 15th of a month for coverage that starts on the first of the next month. Connecticut's 2027 Open Enrollment Period also opens October 23, 2026, so you may have more than one route to coverage that starts January 1, 2027.
Can I appeal my HUSKY termination and still enroll in an Access Health CT plan?
Yes, and you should do both at the same time. To dispute a decision, submit the Hearing Request Form attached to your DSS Notice of Action within 60 days of the notice date. For HUSKY (Medicaid), benefits may continue if you make the request any time before the date of the proposed action. If you simply missed a renewal form, return it within 90 days after your termination date, because federal rule 42 CFR 435.916 requires Connecticut to reconsider you without a new application. Enrolling in an Access Health CT plan does not cancel either option, and you can cancel the plan if HUSKY is reinstated.
Do I qualify for HUSKY again after the termination, and what state rules apply in Connecticut?
Connecticut expanded Medicaid, so adults 19 to 64 with income under 138% FPL qualify for HUSKY D in 2026, with limits of $22,025 for one person, $29,863 for two, $37,702 for three, and $45,540 for a family of 4. HUSKY D has no asset test for adults. HUSKY accepts applications year-round and can cover up to 90 days before you apply. State rules differ from other states in three ways: HUSKY A, B, and D renewals run through Access Health CT, hearings go through DSS, and Covered CT adds a state-funded option up to 175% FPL in 2026. Apply at accesshealthct.com or call 855-805-4325.
What is Covered CT and how does it help after I lose HUSKY?
Covered CT is a Connecticut program that pays the premium and cost sharing for a Silver plan through Access Health CT, so eligible members owe $0 for premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance in 2026. You qualify if you are 19 to 64, your household income is up to 175% FPL (2026 limits of $27,387.50 for one person and $56,262.50 for a family of 4 under the Access Health CT table), you do not qualify for HUSKY because of income, and you use all available premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. You must remain in a Silver plan for the full plan year. Because the 60-day SEP applies, enroll in Covered CT within that window.
What happens to my children's coverage if I lose HUSKY?
Children are covered under separate income rules, so your own termination does not automatically end their coverage. In 2026, HUSKY A covers children up to 201% FPL and HUSKY B, Connecticut's CHIP, covers children up to 323% FPL. In 2026, HUSKY B Band 1 has no monthly premium and some copayments, while Band 2 charges $30 per month for one child or $50 per month for more than one child. Apply for your children through accesshealthct.com even while you shop for your own plan, and report the household change so Access Health CT can match each child to the right program.
What documents do I need to prove I lost HUSKY Health?
Your HUSKY termination or renewal notice is the main document, and Access Health CT accepts an upload to your online account. Coverage cannot begin until the event is verified, and you generally have up to 30 days to submit documents. Gather Social Security numbers for everyone applying, proof of Connecticut residency, and 2026 income records such as pay stubs or an unemployment award letter. If the system asks for proof of identity, citizenship, or immigration status, you generally have 90 days to provide it. Keep copies of every upload and confirmation number.
Is COBRA or an Access Health CT plan better after losing HUSKY?
An Access Health CT plan is almost always the better value after losing HUSKY. COBRA applies only if you also lost employer coverage, and it costs 102% of the full premium, about $400 to $900 per month for one person and $1,200 to $2,800 per month for a family in 2026. A subsidized Access Health CT plan costs far less, and Covered CT costs $0 in 2026 for incomes up to 175% FPL. COBRA makes sense only when a specialist is outside every Access Health CT network or when you have already met a 2026 deductible. You have 60 days to elect COBRA, the same length as the Marketplace SEP.
What if I miss the 60-day window, and can coverage be retroactive?
If you miss the 60-day SEP, you can enroll only during Open Enrollment or after another qualifying life event, so a gap in coverage is likely. Connecticut's 2027 Open Enrollment Period opens October 23, 2026, and a plan chosen by December 15, 2026 starts January 1, 2027. Marketplace plans do not start retroactively. HUSKY works differently: it accepts applications year-round and can cover up to 90 days before the date you apply, depending on when you became eligible, so reapply immediately if your income is under 138% FPL ($22,025 for one person in 2026).
