Connecticut Medicaid for seniors and long-term care
Last verified: June 2026
Long-term care Medicaid rules are complex
H.R. 1 (signed July 4, 2025) — seniors 65+ and LTSS recipients are exempt from new federal requirements
HUSKY C: Medicaid for seniors and adults with disabilities
HUSKY C is Connecticut's Medicaid tier for adults age 65 and older and adults of any age with a qualifying disability. Unlike HUSKY A, B, and D — which use MAGI income rules — HUSKY C uses traditional non-MAGI eligibility with both income and asset limits. CT DSS and its contracted Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) unit administer HUSKY C.
Connecticut Access (ConneCT) is the entry point for HUSKY C and long-term care applications. Applicants can apply online at portal.ct.gov/DSS, by calling 1-855-626-6632, or in person at a DSS service center. LTSS applicants undergo a financial eligibility review and a functional needs assessment by DSS staff.
Long-term care programs under HUSKY C
Nursing facility coverage
HUSKY C covers skilled nursing facility care for members who meet both functional level-of-care criteria and financial eligibility. Connecticut Medicaid pays nursing facility rates directly to facilities. Residents contribute most of their income toward care, retaining a monthly Personal Needs Allowance ($60/month as of 2025, per CT DSS).
Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE)
A state-funded program for elders age 65 and older who would otherwise require nursing facility placement. CHCPE provides home care coordination, personal care attendants, homemaker services, and adult day care. Available to individuals with moderate incomes and assets above HUSKY C limits. CHCPE is not Medicaid-funded — it is a state program and has different eligibility criteria. Contact CT DSS for current CHCPE enrollment.
Connecticut's 1915(c) HCBS waivers
CT DSS operates several HCBS waivers for HUSKY C members who meet nursing facility level of care but prefer home and community-based settings. Waiver services can include personal care, adult day health, assisted living services in certain settings, respite, environmental modifications, and medical equipment. Wait lists may apply. Contact DSS for current availability of each waiver.
Connecticut Partnership for Long-Term Care
Connecticut has a long-term care partnership program that coordinates with HUSKY C. Individuals who purchase a Connecticut Partnership-approved long-term care insurance policy and exhaust its benefits may qualify for HUSKY C with an asset disregard equal to the insurance benefits paid. This allows individuals to retain more assets than the standard $1,600 limit. Insurance premiums must be paid before the need arises — this is not a HUSKY benefit itself, but it interacts with HUSKY C eligibility.
HUSKY C income and asset limits
The standard countable asset limit for a single HUSKY C applicant is $1,600 — one of the lowest in the country. Most states use $2,000; Connecticut's $1,600 limit dates to a historical state policy decision that has not been adjusted. For married couples, the community spouse may retain a Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) per federal spousal impoverishment rules, which is significantly more than the individual limit.
Income limits for HUSKY C nursing facility coverage are approximately $2,982 per month for an individual as of 2025/2026 — verify the current figure at portal.ct.gov/DSS. For applicants whose income exceeds the limit, a Qualified Income Trust (Miller Trust) may be required.
Exempt assets include the primary home (with conditions), one vehicle, personal belongings, a prepaid funeral up to limits set by CT DSS, and certain other items. An elder law attorney or a DSS LTSS caseworker can explain which assets count and which are excluded in your specific situation.
Estate recovery in Connecticut
Connecticut pursues Medicaid estate recovery under 42 U.S.C. § 1396p. The state seeks reimbursement from the estates of HUSKY C members age 55 and older for the cost of nursing facility care, HCBS waiver services, and related expenses. Recovery is deferred while a surviving spouse, minor child, or blind or disabled child is living. Connecticut has hardship exemption provisions. The CT DSS Third Party Liability unit handles estate recovery matters — contact CT DSS if you are managing the estate of a HUSKY C member.
Medicaid as the primary payer for long-term care
Medicare does not cover custodial nursing home care beyond 100 days following a qualifying hospital stay. Private long-term care insurance covers only those who purchased it. For the majority of Americans who need extended nursing home care, Medicaid ends up as the payer — after they have spent down their own assets to the program's limit.
Nationally, Medicaid pays for roughly two-thirds of all nursing home residents, per CMS data. Connecticut's share of that population is administered through Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health). The rules that determine eligibility — income, assets, lookback periods, and exempt property — differ from the MAGI-based rules used for standard Medicaid.
Long-term care Medicaid also includes home and community-based services (HCBS), which allow people to receive care at home or in assisted living rather than a nursing facility. These programs operate through Section 1915(c) waivers and have waiting lists in most states.
Nursing facility coverage
Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health) covers skilled nursing facility care for seniors who meet clinical and financial criteria. Clinical eligibility requires a documented need for skilled nursing care — typically assessed through a standardized instrument. Financial eligibility means income and countable assets fall within the program's limits.
Once approved, Medicaid pays the nursing home directly. The resident contributes most of their monthly income toward the cost of care — typically all income minus a personal needs allowance (which varies by state but is often $30–$50 per month). Medicaid covers the gap.
If income exceeds the institutional Medicaid limit, Connecticut may use a "Miller Trust" (qualified income trust) arrangement to route excess income through a trust account, making the person financially eligible. Not all states allow this; verify whether Connecticut uses this approach with Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health).
Home and community-based services (HCBS)
HCBS waivers let states cover long-term care services outside nursing facilities — in a person's home, adult day program, or assisted living. Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act authorizes these waivers. Each state designs its own waiver programs, so what's available through Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health) differs from what's available in neighboring states.
Common HCBS services include personal care assistance, home health aide visits, adult day health care, respite care for family caregivers, and modifications to make a home accessible. Some states cap the number of waiver slots, creating waiting lists that can run for months or years.
Contact Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health) to ask which HCBS waiver programs are currently open for enrollment and whether there is a waiting list.
Asset limits for long-term care Medicaid
Unlike MAGI-based Medicaid, long-term care Medicaid has an asset test. Countable assets — bank accounts, investments, second vehicles, vacation property — must fall below the state's limit. The specific threshold varies by state and is updated periodically; it is not a figure this page can reliably publish.
Exempt assets are not counted. The primary home is exempt while the applicant lives there or intends to return, as well as when a spouse, minor child, or disabled adult child lives there. One vehicle is typically exempt. Personal belongings and a prepaid funeral arrangement are also generally exempt.
Medicaid has a 60-month (5-year) lookback period for asset transfers. Transfers of assets for less than fair market value within those 60 months can result in a penalty period during which Medicaid will not pay for care. Consult Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health) or a Medicaid planning attorney before transferring assets.
Spousal protections
When one spouse needs nursing home care, federal law protects the other spouse from complete impoverishment. The community spouse (the one still at home) is entitled to keep a minimum amount of assets — called the Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) — and a minimum monthly income.
The CSRA allows the community spouse to keep between a federal minimum and maximum, with the exact amount varying by state and updated annually. Connecticut's current CSRA is set by Connecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health) and published on their website.
The community spouse's own income is not counted toward the institutionalized spouse's Medicaid eligibility. If the community spouse has insufficient income, a portion of the institutionalized spouse's income may be allocated to them — the minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance (MMMNA).
Estate recovery applies to long-term care recipients age 55 and older
What long-term care Medicaid typically covers
- Skilled nursing facility care — room, board, nursing services, and most medical care in the facility
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy provided in a nursing home
- Personal care assistance with daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating) through HCBS waivers
- Home health aide visits for those receiving care at home
- Adult day health care programs
- Respite care to give family caregivers temporary relief
- Durable medical equipment prescribed by a physician
- Transportation to and from medical appointments