HUSKY Health (Connecticut Medicaid) Long Term Care Programs, Benefits & Eligibility Requirements

Summary
Medicaid’s rules, benefits and name can all vary by state. In Connecticut, Medicaid is also called HUSKY Health. This article focuses on Connecticut Medicaid Long Term Care for seniors, which will pay for care in nursing homes, beneficiary’s homes, assisted living residences and other settings through one of three programs – Nursing Home Medicaid, HCBS Waivers and ABD Medicaid. These programs are different from the regular Medicaid that is for financially limited people of all ages.

Connecticut Medicaid Long Term Care Programs

Nursing Home / Institutional Medicaid

Connecticut Nursing Home Medicaid will cover the cost of long-term care in a nursing home for financially limited Connecticut seniors who require a Nursing Facility Level of Care. Coverage includes payment for room and board, as well as all necessary medical and non-medical goods and services, such as:

• Personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting)
• Skilled nursing care
• Physician’s visits
• Prescription medication
• Medication management
• Mental health counseling
• Social activities

Items not covered include a private room, specialized food, comfort items not considered routine (tobacco, sweets and cosmetics, for example) and any care services not considered medically necessary.

Connecticut Nursing Home Medicaid beneficiaries are required to give most of their income to the state to help cover care expenses. They are allowed to keep a “personal needs allowance” of $75/month (or $165/month for war time veterans), which can be spent on personal items such as clothes, snacks, books, haircuts, flowers, etc. They can also keep enough of their income to make Medicare premium payments if they are “dual eligible,” and enough to make any Medicaid-approved spousal income allowance payments to financially needy spouses who are not Medicaid applicants or recipients.

Connecticut Nursing Home Medicaid is an entitlement. This means all qualified applicants are guaranteed by law, aka “entitled,” to receive benefits without wait. However, not all nursing homes accept Medicaid, and those that do may not have any available spaces when you or your loved one needs care. So, eligible applicants are guaranteed nursing home coverage without wait, but they are not guaranteed coverage in any facility they choose.

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waivers

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waivers will pay for long-term care services and supports that help financially limited Connecticut Medicaid recipients who require a Nursing Facility Level of Care remain living in the community instead of residing in a nursing home. The word “waiver” means something like voucher in this instance. Think of it as a voucher that will pay for long-term care services for Connecticut residents who live in their own home, the home of a loved one, their own home, the home of a loved one, adult family living or a managed residential community. While Connecticut HCBS Waivers can pay for some services in those settings, they will not cover room and board costs.

The HCBS Waiver relevant to Connecticut seniors is the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders.

Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders
The Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) provides long-term care benefits to Connecticut seniors who live in their own home, the home of a loved one, adult family living (like adult foster care) or a managed residential community (similar to an assisted living residence). While CHCPE will cover some long-term care services in those settings, it will not pay for room and board expenses, like mortgage payments, rent, utility bills or facility fees. CHCPE can also be referred to as the Connecticut Home and Community Based Services Waiver for the Elderly.

CHCPE benefits include adult day care, meal delivery, homemaker services, minor home modifications, non-medical transportation and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting).

Unlike Nursing Home Medicaid, CHCPE is not an entitlement. Instead, it has a limited number of enrollment spots (about 18,700 per year as of 2024). Once those spots are full, additional eligible applicants will be placed on a waitlist.

Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid

Connecticut’s Aged, Blind, and Disabled (ABD) Medicaid, which is also called HUSKY C in Connecticut, provides healthcare coverage and long-term care services and supports to financially limited Connecticut residents who are aged (65 and over), blind or disabled. ABD Medicaid can sometimes be referred to as state Medicaid or regular Medicaid for seniors, but it should not be confused with the regular Medicaid that is available for low-income people of all ages. ABD Medicaid is an entitlement, which means that anyone who meets the requirements is guaranteed by law to receive the benefits without any wait.

HUSKY C beneficiaries who have a medical need for long-term care benefits can receive some of those benefits through the Community First Choice Option.

Community First Choice Option
Connecticut’s Community First Choice (CFC) Option provides long-term care services and supports to HUSKY C beneficiaries who require a Nursing Facility Level of Care but live in their own home or the home of a friend or relative. To be clear, other than rare exceptions, CFC applicants can not live in adult foster care or in an assisted living residence.

CFC benefits include nursing services, meal delivery, home modifications, transportation, therapies (speech, occupational, physical) and personal care assistance with the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting). These benefits can be provided by a licensed caregiver, or the CFC program participant can self-direct some of their benefits and hire a caregiver of their choice, like a friend or a family member, although spouses and legal guardians cannot be hired. A fiscal intermediary handles all financial aspects (payments, tax withholding, etc.) of the employment.

Like HUSKY C itself, CFC is an entitlement program, which means that all eligible applicants are guaranteed to receive benefits. However, the state will conduct a needs assessment for each applicant to determine what benefits they will receive.

Eligibility Criteria For Connecticut Medicaid’s Long Term Care Programs

To be eligible for Connecticut Medicaid, a person has to meet certain financial and functional (medical) requirements. The financial requirements vary by the applicant’s marital status, if their spouse is also applying for Medicaid, and what program they are applying for – Nursing Home Medicaid, Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waivers or Aged, Blind, and Disabled (ABD) Medicaid /  HUSKY C.

Connecticut Nursing Home Medicaid Eligibility Criteria

Financial Requirements
Connecticut residents have to meet an asset limit and an income limit in order to be financially eligible for nursing home coverage through the Connecticut Medicaid. The 2025 asset limit for a single applicant is $1,600, which means they must have $1,600 or less in countable assets. Countable assets include bank accounts, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, cash and any other assets that can be easily converted to cash. An applicant’s home does not always count as an asset (see the How Medicaid Treats the Home section below for more details), and there are other non-countable assets, like Irrevocable Funeral Trusts and Medicaid Compliant Annuities.

The income of a single applicant can not exceed the cost of the nursing home in the area where they live, and the average cost nursing home care in Connecticut in 2024 was nearly $15,000/month. However, Connecticut Nursing Home Medicaid recipients are required to give most of their income to the state to help cover the cost of care. They are only allowed to keep $75/month ($165/month for war time veterans) of their income as a “personal needs allowance,” plus enough to make Medicare premium payments if they are “dual eligible.”

For married applicants with both spouses applying for nursing home coverage through the Connecticut Medicaid, the 2025 asset limit is a combined $3,200, and their combined incomes can not exceed the combined cost of nursing home care for the couple, which would be about $30,000/month based on the average cost of care in Connecticut in 2024.

For a married applicant with just one spouse applying for Connecticut Nursing Home Medicaid, the 2025 asset limit is $1,600 for the applicant spouse and $157,920 for the non-applicant spouse, thanks to the Community Spouse Resource Allowance. The income of the non-applicant spouse is not counted and the income of the applicant must not exceed the cost of the nursing home. Married Connecticut Nursing Home Medicaid recipients are also required to give most of their income to the state. They are allowed to keep $75/month as a personal needs allowance ($165/month for war time veterans) and enough to make Medicare premium payments if they are “dual eligible.” In addition, they are allowed to keep enough income to make any allowable spousal income allowance payments to financially needy spouses who are not enrolled in Medicaid.

Functional Requirements
The functional, or medical, criteria for nursing home coverage through Connecticut Medicaid is needing a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC), which means the applicant requires the kind of full-time care that can only be provided in a nursing home. An applicant’s ability to to perform the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc.), is used to determine if a Nursing Facility Level of Care is needed. Cognitive and behavioral issues are also taken into consideration.

Connecticut Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waivers Eligibility Criteria

Financial Requirements
Connecticut residents have to meet an asset limit and an income limit in order to be financially eligible for Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) Waivers. For a single applicant in 2025, the asset limit for HCBS Waivers in Connecticut is $1,600, which means they must have $1,600 or less in countable assets. Countable assets include bank accounts, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, cash and any other assets that can be easily converted to cash. An applicant’s home does not always count as an asset (see the How Medicaid Treats the Home section below for more details), and there are other non-countable assets, like Irrevocable Funeral Trusts and Medicaid Compliant Annuities.

The 2025 income limit for HCBS Waivers in Connecticut for a single applicant is $2,901/month. Almost all income is counted – IRA payments, pension payments, Social Security benefits, property income, alimony, wages, salary, stock dividends, etc.

For married applicants with both spouses applying, the 2025 asset limit for HCBS Waivers in Connecticut is a combined $3,200, and the income limit is a combined $5,802/month. For a married applicant with just one spouse applying, the 2025 asset limit is $1,600 for the applicant spouse and $157,920 for the non-applicant spouse, thanks to the Community Spouse Resource Allowance. The income limit is $2,901/month for the applicant spouse and the income of the non-applicant spouse is not counted.

Functional Requirements
The functional, or medical, criteria for Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) Waivers in Connecticut is needing a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC), which means the applicant requires the kind of full-time care that is normally associated with a nursing home. An applicant’s ability to to perform the Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc.), is used to determine if a Nursing Facility Level of Care is needed. Cognitive and behavioral issues are also taken into consideration.

Connecticut Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid Eligibility Criteria

Financial Requirements
Connecticut residents have to meet an asset limit and an income limit in order to be financially eligible for Aged, Blind, and Disabled (ABD) Medicaid, which is also called HUSKY C in Connecticut. The 2025 asset limit for a single applicant is $1,600, which means they must have $1,600 or less in countable assets. Countable assets include bank accounts, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, cash and any other assets that can be easily converted to cash. An applicant’s home does not always count as an asset (see the How Medicaid Counts the Home section below for more details), and there are other non-countable assets, like Irrevocable Funeral Trusts and Medicaid Compliant Annuities.

The 2025 income limit for Connecticut ABD Medicaid for a single applicant is $1,314/month. Almost all income is counted – IRA payments, pension payments, Social Security benefits, property income, alimony, wages, salary, stock dividends, etc.

For married applicants with both spouses applying, the 2025 asset limit for Connecticut’s ABD Medicaid is a combined $2,400, and the income limit is a combined $2,112/month. For a married applicant with just one spouse applying, the 2025 asset limit is a combined $2,400 combined and the income limit is $1,601/month for the applicant. The income of the non-applicant spouse is not counted.

The Look-Back Period does not apply to ABD Medicaid. However, ABD Medicaid applicants should be careful about Look-Back violations because they might eventually need Nursing Home Medicaid or HCBS Waivers, and those violations will make them ineligible for either of those programs.

Functional Requirements
The only functional requirement to receive basic healthcare coverage – physician’s visits, prescription medication, emergency room visits and short-term hospital stays – through Connecticut ABD Medicaid (HUSKY C) is being aged (65 and over), blind or disabled. For ABD Medicaid applicants and beneficiaries who require long-term care services and supports, the state will administer an assessment of their ability to perform Activities of Daily Living (mobility, bathing, dressing, eating, toileting) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (which include shopping, cooking, housekeeping and medication management) to determine the kind of long-term care benefits the state will cover. Behavior and cognitive issues will also be considered.

How Connecticut Medicaid Treats the Home for Eligibility Purposes

One’s home is often their most valuable asset, and if counted toward Medicaid’s asset limit, it would likely cause them to be over the limit. However, in many situations the home is not counted against the asset limit:

• If the applicant lives in their home and the home equity interest (the portion of the home’s equity value that the applicant owns minus any outstanding mortgage/debt) is less than $1,097,000 (as of 2025) then the home is exempt.
• If the applicant’s spouse, minor child, or blind or disabled child of any age lives there, the home is exempt regardless of the applicant’s home equity interest, and regardless of where the applicant lives.
• If none of the above-mentioned people live in the home, the home can be exempt if the applicant/beneficiary files an “intent to return” home and the home equity interest is at or below $1,097,000.

These rules apply to all three types of Medicaid, with one important exception – ABD Medicaid applicants can disregard the home equity limit. Value does not matter regarding their home’s exempt status. To learn more about the impact of home ownership on Medicaid eligibility, click here.

Connecticut Medicaid Long Term Care applicants and recipients may also want to consider protecting their home (and other assets) from estate recovery. States are required by law to try and collect reimbursement for long-term care after the death of Medicaid recipients. They do this through their Medicaid Estate Recovery Programs (MERPs). The rules and regulations regarding estate recovery can vary greatly by state, but all states have a MERP. To learn more about the MERP in Connecticut and how you can protect your home from it, click here.

Qualifying with Medicaid Planning

Even if a Connecticut resident doesn’t meet their financial limits for Medicaid eligibility, there are still ways they can qualify. If they are over their asset limit, they can reduce their assets by “spending down” or using a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust. While the Look-Back Period prevents Nursing Home Medicaid and HCBS Waivers applicants from simply giving away their home, they could use the Child Caregiver Exemption or Sibling Exemption to transfer their home to a qualified family member, which would prevent the home from counting against the asset limit.

Connecticut residents who are over their income limit can use the Medically Needy Pathway to reduce their income and become eligible. It works like an insurance deductible. Connecticut Medicaid applicant’s/beneficiaries must pay for their medical expenses during their “spend down period” (six months in Connecticut) until they meet their “spend down” amount, which is calculated using their income and Connecticut’s Medically Needy Income Limit, which is $723/month for an individual and $980/month for a couple. Once they have reached their spend down amount, Medicaid will cover their medical expenses for the remainder of the spend down period.

These Medicaid Planning strategies tend to be complicated, so consulting with a professional like a Certified Medicaid Planner or an Elder Law Attorney before attempting any of them on your own is recommended.

Applying For Connecticut Medicaid Long Term Care Programs

The first step in applying for Connecticut Medicaid Long Term Care coverage is deciding which of the three Medicaid programs discussed above you or your loved one wants to apply for – Nursing Home Medicaid, Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) Waivers or Aged Blind and Disabled (ABD) Medicaid/HUSKY C.

The second step is determining if the applicant meets the financial and functional criteria, also discussed above, for that Long Term Care program. Applying for Connecticut Medicaid coverage when not financially eligible will result in the application, and benefits, being denied.

During the process of determining financial eligibility, it’s important to start gathering documentation that clearly details the financial situation for the Connecticut Medicaid applicant. These documents will be needed for the official Medicaid application. Necessary documents may include tax forms, Social Security benefits letters, deeds to the home, proof of life insurance and quarterly statements for all bank accounts, retirement accounts and investments. For a complete list of documents you might need to submit with your Medicaid Long Term Care application, go to our Medicaid Application Documents Checklist.

After financial eligibility requirements are checked and double checked, documentation is gathered, and functional eligibility is clarified, Connecticut residents can apply online at ConneCT. They can also download an application, complete it and submit it to their local Department of Social Services office.

For step-by-step guides to applying for each of the three types of Medicaid Long Term Care, just click on the name: 1) Nursing Home Medicaid 2) HCBS Waivers 3) ABD Medicaid.

Choosing a Connecticut Medicaid Nursing Home

After being approved for nursing home coverage through Connecticut Medicaid, you or your loved one needs to choose which Medicaid-accepting nursing home best meets your needs. Even though Medicaid nursing home coverage is an entitlement, not all nursing homes take Medicaid, and those that do might not have any open spaces. Finding the right nursing home can be time-consuming, especially if you are searching in a specific geographic area.

Connecticut has approximately 200 nursing homes that accept Medicaid, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). There are about 50 in the southwest corner of the state, which includes New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk and Danbury. There are roughly 40 in the Hartford area, including the towns of Newington, New Britain and Manchester. And there are about 25 nursing homes in the southeast part of the state in the New London and Norwich areas.

Residents in some Connecticut communities may frequently cross state lines into New York, Rhode Island or Massachusetts for many personal or business reasons, including healthcare. However, Nursing Home Medicaid coverage does not cross state lines. So, a Connecticut resident with Connecticut Nursing Home Medicaid will not be covered in a nursing home in Westerly, Rhode Island, for example, or White Plains, New York, even though those facilities might be closer and more convenient than any in Connecticut.

Once you’ve found nursing homes in your area that accept Medicaid, you can start comparing them, if you have multiple options. The search on Nursing Home Compare can be filtered by overall rating, health inspections, staffing and quality measures, which can be a helpful place to start. The healthcare professionals who work with you can also be a great resource. And you can find more information about Connecticut nursing homes by contacting your local Area Agency on Aging.

After doing your research, you or someone you trust should also visit any nursing homes you’re considering before making a final decision. Call first to make an appointment for the visit, and arrive prepared with a list of questions. Some things you might ask are: Does the residence coordinate social activities? Does it provide transportation? What are the meals like? How will the residence provide access to oral and eye care? Who are the staff doctors? CMS has a comprehensive “Nursing home checklist” you can use to evaluate a nursing home while visiting.

According to CMS data, Connecticut nursing homes averaged 27.5 health deficiencies that led to citations from 2018-2023, which is almost exactly at the national average of 27.2 over that same time span. However, Connecticut nursing homes averaged .5 fire safety deficiencies, which is less than the national average of 13.5.