Medicaid Work Requirements in Connecticut
In Connecticut the rule applies to HUSKY D adults ages 19 to 64. It starts January 1, 2027, together with 6-month renewals for HUSKY D. DSS has a HUSKY D pre-screener.
Check your situation in Connecticut
When it starts in Connecticut
- January 1, 2027: work rules and 6-month renewals begin for HUSKY D.
Who has to meet it
The rule applies to people ages 19 to 64 in HUSKY D (the adult expansion group), unless they are pregnant, have Medicare, or are exempt. You meet it in a month with 80 hours of work, community service, a work program, or school (in any mix), by going to school at least half-time, or with at least $580 in monthly income.
You are exempt if, for example, you care for a child 13 or younger or a person with a disability, are pregnant or postpartum, are American Indian or Alaska Native, are medically frail, are a veteran with a total (100%) VA disability rating or TDIU, were in foster care at 18 and are under 26, are in drug or alcohol treatment, meet SNAP or TANF work rules, or left jail or prison in the last 3 months. See the full exemption list.
Court ruling, October 29, 2026. In Massachusetts v. Oz, a federal court struck down the CMS rule's extra "significantly impairs" test for the medically frail exemption. If you are in any of the five medically frail groups in the law, you qualify. Connecticut was one of the parties that sued, so the court also gave Connecticut six months of relief from federal enforcement of its medically frail decisions while it updates its systems. The January 1, 2027 start date did not change, and CMS may appeal. What the ruling means.
How Connecticut checks and how to report
Months checked: DSS has not published a set number of months. It checks when you apply, renew, or report a change, and it may ask for proof.
Report jobs, school, volunteer work, or training, and upload documents, through Access Health CT when you apply, renew, or report a change.
Other things to know in Connecticut
- DSS says the rules apply to HUSKY D adults who do not live with a child under 14 and who are able to work.
- You comply with $580 or more a month in income, or 80 hours a month of work, community service, work or training programs, or volunteering, or by going to school at least half-time, or a mix.
Official tools and contacts
- Check if it applies: HUSKY D Pre-Screener
- Report and upload: Access Health CT
- HUSKY Health Member Engagement Services: 1-800-859-9889
- DSS Benefit Center: 1-855-626-6632
- Access Health CT (TTY 1-855-789-2428): 1-855-805-4325
- DSS: HR1 work rule changes
- DSS: member FAQ
- Agency: Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS)
Federal protections that apply in Connecticut
- The state must check its own records before asking you for proof.
- If it can't confirm you meet the rule, you get a notice and at least 30 days to respond, and your coverage continues meanwhile.
- You get written notice and the right to a fair hearing before coverage ends, and you can reapply at any time.
- If you lose Medicaid for not meeting the rule, you cannot get marketplace premium tax credits for those months. Learn more.
Frequently asked questions
When do Medicaid work requirements start in Connecticut?
January 1, 2027. Current members are usually checked at their first renewal on or after that date.
How many months does Connecticut check?
DSS has not published a set number of months. It checks when you apply, renew, or report a change, and it may ask for proof.
How do I report my hours or an exemption in Connecticut?
Report jobs, school, volunteer work, or training, and upload documents, through Access Health CT when you apply, renew, or report a change.
Who do I call about HUSKY D work requirements?
HUSKY Health Member Engagement Services: 1-800-859-9889
DSS Benefit Center: 1-855-626-6632
Access Health CT (TTY 1-855-789-2428): 1-855-805-4325
Can I lose HUSKY D right away if I don't meet the requirement?
No. Federal law requires a notice, at least 30 days to show you comply or are exempt, continued coverage during that time, and fair hearing rights before coverage ends.
Sources
- CT DSS: HR1 work rule changes
- CT DSS: HR1 member FAQ
- HUSKY Health: how to contact us
- Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1), sec. 71119: community engagement requirement (GovInfo)
- CMS interim final rule, Medicaid community engagement requirement, 91 FR 33348 (June 3, 2026)
- Massachusetts v. Oz, No. 1:26-cv-12962-RGS (D. Mass.), memorandum and order (Oct. 29, 2026)