August 2026 Update: DSS announced that, beginning this month, they will be sending HUSKY D Medicaid work rules text messages from new numbers! HUSKY D clients need to add all four of these  numbers below to their contacts, so they never miss a call or text from DSS!

NEW HUSKY D Work Rules Numbers

• Text: 959-246-3060
• Text: 648731

Existing DSS Numbers

• Phone and Text: 1-855-626-6632 (VoiceCT/Benefits Center)
• Text: 60302

Please encourage everyone to add DSS to their contacts!

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Medicaid program provides medical insurance for very low income adults ages 19-64 who do not qualify for HUSKY A. Program covers individuals who do not have dependent children, who are not pregnant, and who do not receive Medicare.

For HUSKY D Income Guidelines, visit:
How to Apply for Services-How To

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Please Note: Due to the HR1 (New Big Beautiful Bill)- Changes to Medicaid (HUSKY Health) being implemented starting on October 1, 2026, and ongoing after that are described below:

Work Requirement

• Effective January 1, 2027
• Adults 19-64 will be required to engage in at least 80 hours per month of work or community engagement to remain eligible for Medicaid
• Acceptable activities to meet the requirement:
  • Monthly income that is at least 80 times the federal hourly minimum wage (currently $7.25), or any of the following:
    • At least 80 hours per month of work, or
    • At least 80 hours per month of community service, or
    • At least 80 hours per month of qualified work or training program participation, or
    • Enrolled at least half-time in an education program, or
    • Any combination of the above totaling at least 80 hours per month
• Provides exemptions from the work requirement for:
  • Pregnant and postpartum individuals
  • Foster and former foster youth
  • Indians/Urban Indians
  • Veterans with rated disabilities
  • Medically frail individuals (e.g. blind, disabled, children with serious emotional disturbances, adults with serious mental illness, chronic substance use disorders, serious and complex medical conditions)
  • Individuals with alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder
  • Individuals already meeting work requirements for SNAP and/or TANF
  • Parents and caregivers of a dependent child aged 13 and under or an individual with a disability
  • Individuals recently released from incarceration for 90 days post release
  • Individuals with a short-term hardship waiver

Non-citizen eligibility

• Effective October 1, 2026
• Restricts non-citizen eligibility to legal permanent residents, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and Compacts of Free Association (COFA) citizens
• Individuals such as refugees, asylees, trafficking victims, humanitarian parolees and more who currently qualify for HUSKY Health will no longer be eligible due to their immigration status

Retroactive Medicaid/CHIP Coverage

• Effective for applications on or after January 1, 2027
• Limits retroactive coverage for adults with Medicaid to 1 month instead of 3 months
• Limits retroactive coverage for other Medicaid recipients to 2 months instead of 3 months
• Provides 2 months of retroactive coverage for CHIP programs.

Renewal Frequency

• Effective December 31, 2026
• HUSKY D recipients will need to complete a renewal every 6 months instead of every 12 months

The HUSKY D Pre-screener can help users determine whether new work requirements may apply to them and identify potential next steps. It will also help identify potential exemptions to the Medicaid work requirements and give the locations of local community action agencies and other community resources.

The HUSKY D Pre-screener can be accessed directly at:

https://portal.ct.gov/husky/huskydprescreener