How to Get Your Grandchild on HUSKY Health in Connecticut

Why Most Kinship Children Qualify

HUSKY Health is Connecticut's Medicaid and CHIP program, and it covers children far up the income scale. HUSKY A provides no-cost coverage for eligible children with household income up to 201% of the Federal Poverty Level. HUSKY B covers eligible children above 201% through 318% FPL, with no premiums and possible minor copays.

The detail that matters for grandparents: when you apply for HUSKY on behalf of a grandchild and you don't claim the child as a tax dependent, the child is treated as their own household for income purposes. Only the child's direct income — not yours — gets counted against those thresholds. Most children in kinship care have little or no personal income, which puts them well under the 201% limit for HUSKY A.

Children placed under DCF Subsidized Guardianship receive categorical HUSKY A — fully paid, with no income test.

What HUSKY Covers

HUSKY A is not a bare-bones plan. Connecticut operates a centralized administrative model (no managed care organizations), and coverage includes:

• Medical care through Community Health Network of Connecticut
• Dental care through the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership
• Behavioral health through the Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership
• Non-emergency transportation through Veyo
• Prescription medications with no copays for children under HUSKY A

Children have 12 months of continuous eligibility, meaning coverage doesn't drop mid-year even if circumstances change. Renewals are processed automatically through data matching when possible.

How to Apply

You can apply for HUSKY through the same ConneCT portal used for TFA and SNAP (connect.ct.gov), by mailing a paper application, or in person at a DSS regional resource center.

If you're already applying for TFA child-only cash assistance, select HUSKY in the application if it is offered, and confirm with DSS whether any separate HUSKY form or follow-up is required.

The Income Question Grandparents Always Ask

"Does my Social Security count?" If you are not claiming the child as your tax dependent, no. The child's HUSKY eligibility is based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) calculated for the child's tax household, which in this scenario consists of the child alone.

If you do claim the child as a dependent on your taxes, your tax household may be used in determining the child's MAGI eligibility. HUSKY B covers eligible children above 201% and up to 318% FPL, with no premiums and possible minor copays.

Uninsured Children Regardless of Immigration Status

Connecticut extends HUSKY A and B to uninsured children ages 0 through 15 regardless of immigration status, at the same income thresholds. If the child in your care is undocumented or has an uncertain immigration status, they can still receive coverage.

What HUSKY Doesn't Cover for the Caregiver

HUSKY A also covers low-income caretaker relatives up to 160% FPL, and HUSKY D covers adults without minor dependents up to 138% FPL. But these are separate from the child's application and use household-level income. If you're on Medicare, that remains your primary coverage.

The child's HUSKY eligibility and an adult caregiver's coverage use separate rules.

Connecting HUSKY to Other Benefits

HUSKY A enrollment automatically qualifies the child for free school meals through direct certification — no separate lunch application needed. It also satisfies the income requirement for WIC if the child is under 5. And if you're applying for the Care 4 Kids childcare subsidy, HUSKY enrollment is part of the paperwork that streamlines your application.

Our Connecticut kinship financial help guide shows how HUSKY fits with TFA, SNAP, Care 4 Kids, and the Probate Court funds — including which documents each program needs and how to avoid duplicate paperwork.

See more Connecticut guides →