Connecticut Medicaid income limits come in two versions, and the one that applies to you turns mostly on age. Residents who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled are measured on the aged, blind, and disabled track, where Connecticut caps a single long-term-care applicant's countable assets at just $1,600, lower than the $2,000 default almost everywhere else. Everyone else (adults under 65, parents, pregnant residents, and children) is measured on the MAGI track, against a percentage of the federal poverty level, with no asset test at all.

That $1,600 ceiling scares a lot of families off the long-term-care track. It shouldn't, because Connecticut also lets you spend down income you're "over" on, so a high monthly check is not the wall people assume it is.

This guide covers both tracks of what the state runs as HUSKY Health: the MAGI income limits by group, what changes on your 65th birthday, and then the long-term-care rules for aged, blind, and disabled residents, from the asset limit and the spend-down through the spousal protections, the five-year look-back, and how to apply.

Which Connecticut Medicaid income limit applies to you?

Connecticut applies two income tests. They share almost nothing: different yardsticks, different household rules, and only one has an asset limit.

  • The MAGI track. For adults under 65 who are not disabled, parents and caretaker relatives, pregnant residents, and children. Income is counted as Modified Adjusted Gross Income and measured against a percentage of the federal poverty level. Federal law bars the state from applying any asset or resource test to these groups.
  • The aged, blind, and disabled (ABD) track. For residents 65 or older, blind, or disabled, including everyone seeking long-term-care coverage. Income is measured against the SSI-related standards, and countable assets are capped. This is the track the $1,600 limit belongs to, and the one the rest of this guide covers in detail.

The household rules differ too. On the MAGI track, your household is generally set by federal income-tax filing relationships (your tax household) rather than by who lives under your roof. Generally, not always: CMS does not use tax-household rules at all for someone who will not file and will not be claimed as a dependent, for a dependent claimed by a non-parent or a non-custodial parent, or for children living with two parents who do not file jointly. In those cases the household is you plus the spouse, children, parents, and siblings actually living with you, and you do not need to file a return to apply. So the same family can have two different household sizes depending on which pathway is being applied.

Connecticut Medicaid income limits on the MAGI track: HUSKY A, B, and D

Connecticut runs its MAGI-based Medicaid and CHIP as HUSKY Health, administered by the Department of Social Services. The standards below took effect March 1, 2026.

Group Connecticut program Annual income limit % FPL on the national table
Adults 19–64 without minor children HUSKY D Under $22,025 (household of 1) 133%
Parents and caretaker relatives HUSKY A Under $29,863 (household of 2) 155%
Pregnant residents HUSKY A Under $56,913 (household of 2) 258%
Children through age 18 HUSKY A Under $66,330 (household of 4) 196%
Children through age 18, upper band HUSKY B (separate CHIP) Up to $51,551 (household of 1) 318%

Use the dollar column, not the percentage. The percentages come from the national medicaid.gov eligibility table, which is a snapshot as of December 1, 2023, while the dollar figures are DSS's own chart effective March 1, 2026; the two sets are not restatements of each other, and no conversion runs between them. Federal law does apply a mandatory income disregard equal to 5 percentage points of the FPL, which is why an adult group listed at 133% is commonly described as reaching 138%, but that disregard is applied for the group with the highest MAGI standard, not group by group. What DSS measures your income against is the dollar figure.

Adults under 65: HUSKY D and the 138% ceiling

Connecticut has adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion, so it covers the "new adult group" in full. HUSKY D covers adults ages 19–64 without minor children at 138% FPL effective, under $22,025/year for a household of one. That works out to roughly $1,835/month, which is 138% of the $15,960/year federal poverty guideline for one person in the 48 contiguous states and DC; Alaska and Hawaii run on separate, higher guidelines., No asset test applies, so savings, a second car, and investments are irrelevant to a HUSKY D determination, the sharpest contrast with the $1,600 long-term-care limit below.

One condition is new and appears on no income chart. Under the 2025 budget-reconciliation law, states must make community engagement a condition of new-adult-group eligibility no later than the first quarter after December 31, 2026: 80 hours a month of work, community service, a work program, half-time schooling, any combination of those, or equivalent earnings. Nine categories are excluded outright, among them anyone medically frail or disabled, a parent or caretaker of a child 13 or under or of a disabled person, someone pregnant or receiving postpartum coverage, an Indian or Urban Indian, and a veteran rated totally disabled. If one of those describes you, the requirement is not yours to meet.

Parents and caretaker relatives: a low federal floor Connecticut sits above

HUSKY A covers parents and caretaker relatives at under $29,863/year for a household of two, the smallest household this group can have, because it always requires a child in the home. One caution when you cross-check this number: the medicaid.gov national table puts Connecticut at 155% FPL for this group, but that is a December 2023 snapshot rather than a current Connecticut election, so compare your income to the DSS dollar figure instead.

Federal law sets a strikingly low floor for this group. Parents and caretaker relatives are a federally mandatory eligibility group, but unlike children (mandatory to at least 133% FPL) and the expansion adults, states are only required to cover them at their own old cash-welfare standard: the state's AFDC income standard in effect on May 1, 1988, converted to a MAGI equivalent. A state may set the standard far above that floor, up to the higher of its 2010 or 2013 effective level or its July 16, 1996 AFDC standard adjusted for inflation. So what decides whether a working parent qualifies is the state's own published number, not a poverty-level percentage, and Connecticut sits well above the federal minimum.

This is the group that matters most to older readers of this guide. A grandparent raising a grandchild is measured here if they are under 65 and not disabled, and on the ABD track below if they are 65 or older, blind, or disabled. Whether a particular relative meets Connecticut's definition of a caretaker relative is DSS's call, and it has real edges; confirm it with the DSS Benefits Center (contact details below).

Children, CHIP, and pregnancy coverage

Children through age 18 are covered by HUSKY A at 196% FPL, under $66,330/year for a household of four, or under $32,080 for a household of one. Above that band, Connecticut runs a separate CHIP program, HUSKY B, reaching 318% FPL, up to $51,551/year for a household of one. Federal law makes children's coverage mandatory only to 133% FPL, so Connecticut, like most states, covers children well above the required floor. Pregnant residents are covered by HUSKY A at 258% FPL, under $56,913/year for a household of two, counting the unborn child as a household member.

What changes on your 65th birthday

Connecticut's expansion coverage carries an edge that almost no income-limit chart shows. The new adult group is written for people under 65 who are not pregnant and not entitled to or enrolled in Medicare. On the 65th birthday, that pathway closes.

Consider a 64-year-old with about $1,600/month in income and modest savings. On HUSKY D they are covered easily: the ceiling is roughly $1,835/month and no asset test applies., The day they turn 65 they are assessed on the SSI-related ABD track instead, and two things change at once:

  • The income yardstick drops. It is no longer 138% FPL but the SSI Federal Benefit Rate, which is $994/month for an individual in 2026.
  • A resource test appears. MAGI groups are barred from applying one; the ABD track is expressly excepted from that bar. The SSI default standard is $2,000 for an individual, and Connecticut applies an even tighter $1,600 limit to a single long-term-care applicant.,

So the same person can be over both tests at 65 without a dollar of their income changing. The cliff has a second trigger unrelated to age: the new adult group also excludes anyone entitled to or enrolled in Medicare, so someone under 65 who reaches Medicare through disability leaves it the same way.

The spend-down below softens the landing: Connecticut has no income cliff on the ABD side. The asset test, though, is new, and it is real.

Connecticut Medicaid income limits for long-term care start with the $1,600 asset rule

In most states, a single aged or disabled applicant can hold up to $2,000 in countable assets (the SSI resource standard) and still qualify for long-term-care Medicaid. Connecticut sets the bar lower: $1,600 for a needs group of one, $2,400 for a needs group of two, and, where one spouse is institutionalized, $1,600 plus the amount protected for the spouse at home. That $1,600 is the figure that most often catches Connecticut families by surprise.

"Countable" is the word doing the work. Connecticut exempts your home, one vehicle, household goods, prepaid burial arrangements, and certain life-insurance policies, so the $1,600 applies to bank balances, a second car, and investments, not the roof over your head or the car in the driveway.

The home exemption has a ceiling, and Connecticut's is genuinely unsettled. Federal law sets a 2026 range of $752,000 to $1,130,000 and lets each state elect within it. Connecticut's own most recent published figure is $786,000, from a DSS booklet last revised in 2012 that DSS has not restated since; ask DSS which number governs before relying on either it or the 2026 federal maximum. Being over the limit is not the end of it either. The limit does not apply at all when a spouse, a child under 21, or a blind or disabled child lawfully lives in the home, and equity can be brought down with a reverse mortgage or home-equity loan. DSS will also cover an applicant who demonstrates they cannot obtain one, or whose denial would work an undue hardship. From January 1, 2028, a 2025 federal law (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Public Law 119-21) caps a state's election at a flat, un-indexed $1,000,000 for any home not on a lot zoned for agricultural use.

The low limit makes early planning matter more here than in a $2,000 state. With only $1,600 of countable room, the gap between "over" and "under" is small and easy to drift back across. For the broader toolkit, see our guide to Medicaid planning strategies.

How Connecticut Medicaid income limits work: the spend-down

Here is the part that trips people up, and the reason the low asset limit is less alarming than it looks. Connecticut does state an income limit: DSS puts the long-term-services-and-supports figure at $2,982 a month for a single applicant. But it runs a medically needy program with a spend-down, so being over that line does not disqualify you.

If your monthly income is above the state's medically needy income limit, the excess becomes your spend-down amount: once you have incurred at least that much in medical and care costs that no insurance or third party covers, Medicaid covers the rest. Ask your DSS caseworker what spend-down period applies, because that window is what your bills have to fall inside. Income above the limit gets spent down on care, not handed back; you are never simply "too rich" for long-term-care Medicaid in Connecticut.

For someone who needs nursing-facility care the math resolves fast: facility costs run thousands a month, far more than the typical gap between income and the limit, so the spend-down is met almost immediately.

This is why Connecticut does not require a Qualified Income Trust, also called a Miller Trust. In strict income-cap states, an applicant a dollar over the limit is shut out unless they route the excess through such a trust. Connecticut has no such cliff: high income means a bigger spend-down, not a closed door.

Long-term care: what a nursing-home resident keeps

When Connecticut Medicaid pays for nursing-facility care, the resident contributes almost all of their monthly income toward the cost of that care. What they keep is the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA), money set aside for the resident's own small expenses like clothing, a haircut, or a phone. Connecticut's PNA is $75/month, set by statute under Conn. Gen. Stat. section 17b-272 and in effect since July 1, 2021., The figure is fixed in statute rather than adjusted for inflation, so it has not changed since 2021. Connecticut sits well above the federal PNA floor of $30/month that every state must at least meet.

The $75 is the resident's to use; everything above it, after deductions for a community spouse and certain health-insurance premiums such as Medicare coverage, goes toward care. For the national picture on the PNA and how it's calculated, see our explainer on the Medicaid personal needs allowance.

Protecting the spouse who stays home

When one spouse needs long-term care and the other stays in the community, federal spousal-impoverishment rules keep the at-home spouse from being left with nothing. Connecticut applies the federal framework for 2026:,

Protection 2026 Amount What it does
Community Spouse Protected Amount (Connecticut's CSRA) At least $50,000, up to $162,660 The greatest of Connecticut's $50,000 statutory floor, half the couple's countable assets capped at $162,660, or an amount set by fair hearing or court order.
Minimum Monthly Needs Allowance (the federal MMMNA) $2,705.00 to $4,066.50/month The income floor the at-home spouse is allowed, calculated from their actual shelter costs; income is shifted from the applicant to reach it.

So a married couple is in a very different position from a single applicant. Connecticut guarantees the community spouse $50,000 by statute, a floor it set for itself in 2022 and one well above the federal minimum, so a couple with modest savings is protected further here than in most states. Above that, the spouse keeps half the couple's countable assets up to $162,660, far above the applicant's own $1,600 limit, and monthly income up to the MMNA while the other spouse receives Medicaid-funded care., Neither maximum is absolute: either spouse can ask for a fair hearing to set the income allowance higher where caring for a disabled child or relative causes significant financial duress, and a fair hearing or court order can raise the asset amount too.

The five-year look-back

Connecticut reviews asset transfers made in the 60 months before a long-term-care application., Giving away money or property for less than fair market value during that window, gifting a grandchild a down payment, signing a house over to a child for a dollar, can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay for long-term-care services, even though you're otherwise eligible.

There are legitimate exceptions: transfers between spouses, transfers to a disabled child, and certain caregiver-child home transfers. But anything done inside the five-year window deserves an elder-law attorney's review before you move assets.

Will Connecticut recover from your estate?

Connecticut runs a Medicaid estate-recovery program through the Connecticut Department of Social Services. After a recipient who was 55 or older when they received long-term-care services dies, the state seeks repayment from the estate for the cost of that care.,

Federal law builds in protections Connecticut must honor. Recovery cannot happen while a surviving spouse is alive, and it is barred while there is a surviving child who is under 21 or who is blind or permanently and totally disabled. Connecticut, like every state, must also offer a way to apply for an undue-hardship waiver when recovery would deprive an heir of necessary support; in practice you request that waiver through the DSS recovery process after a claim is filed against the estate. For how estate recovery works and where families have room to plan, see our Medicaid estate recovery explainer.

How to apply in Connecticut

Connecticut Medicaid is run by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS). You have three ways to apply:

Apply online through ConneCT The DSS self-service portal, where you can start and manage an application. connect.ct.gov
Apply by phone The DSS Benefits Center takes applications and answers eligibility questions. 1-855-626-6632
Apply in person Bring your documents to a local DSS field office and apply with staff help. portal.ct.gov/dss

Long-term-care applicants also go through a level-of-care screening. Apply even if you think you're over the asset or income limit: between the spend-down and the spousal protections, many people who assume they're disqualified are not.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Connecticut Medicaid income limit for 2026?

It depends on which of two tests applies. Under 65 and not disabled: HUSKY D covers adults 19–64 without minor children under $22,025/year (about $1,835/month) for a household of one, with no asset test. 65 or older, blind, or disabled: the aged, blind, and disabled test applies instead, measured against the SSI-related standards, with a countable-asset cap of $1,600 for a single long-term-care applicant.

What is the Connecticut Medicaid asset limit in 2026?

$1,600 in countable assets for a single long-term-care applicant, lower than the $2,000 default used by most states. The home, one vehicle, household goods, and prepaid burial arrangements are exempt from the count; the home exemption is subject to an equity limit DSS last published at $786,000 in 2012 and has not restated since, so confirm the operative figure with DSS. The MAGI groups (adults under 65, parents, pregnant residents, and children) have no asset test at all.

Can I lose Connecticut Medicaid when I turn 65?

It is possible, even if nothing about your income changes. The HUSKY D adult group covers only people under 65 who are not enrolled in Medicare, at 138% FPL with no asset test. On your 65th birthday you are assessed on the aged, blind, and disabled track instead: the income yardstick becomes the SSI Federal Benefit Rate of $994/month for an individual, and a resource test appears where none applied before. Connecticut's spend-down means being over the income standard is not disqualifying, but the asset limit is new.

Can I qualify for Connecticut Medicaid if my income is too high?

Often yes. DSS states a long-term-services-and-supports income limit of $2,982 a month for a single applicant, but Connecticut is a medically needy state with a spend-down, so that limit is not a cliff. If your income is above it, you spend the excess down on qualifying medical and care costs, and Medicaid covers the rest.

Does Connecticut require a Miller Trust (Qualified Income Trust)?

No. Connecticut states an income limit, $2,982 a month for a single long-term-services-and-supports applicant, but it routes an applicant over that limit into a spend-down rather than requiring a Qualified Income Trust. That's a key difference from strict income-cap states, where an over-income applicant must route excess income through such a trust to qualify. If anyone tells you a Connecticut applicant needs one, confirm it with DSS before setting it up.

How much can a spouse keep when the other spouse needs Medicaid?

At least $50,000 (Connecticut's own statutory floor, higher than the federal minimum) and up to $162,660, which Connecticut calls the Community Spouse Protected Amount, plus monthly income between $2,705.00 and $4,066.50 (the Minimum Monthly Needs Allowance). Both are separate from the applicant's own $1,600 asset limit, and a fair hearing can set either higher.

What does a nursing-home resident on Connecticut Medicaid get to keep?

A Personal Needs Allowance of $75/month, fixed by statute and in effect since July 1, 2021. The rest of the resident's monthly income goes toward the cost of care, after deductions for a community spouse and certain health-insurance premiums.

Learn More

MedicaidMedicaid Income Limits by State: Which Number Applies to YouMedicaid income limits depend on your pathway: expansion adults, aged and disabled, or nursing-home care. See the 2026 figures and your state's exact limits. MedicaidConnecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health) OverviewConnecticut Medicaid (HUSKY Health) covers seniors through DSS. Learn the $1,600 asset limit, spend-down, Medicare Savings Programs, and how to apply in 2026. MedicaidConnecticut Medicare cost-sharing help for low-income seniorsConnecticut Medicare Savings Programs in 2026: QMB, SLMB, and QI income limits, what each covers, Part D Extra Help, and how to apply through Connecticut DSS. MedicaidConnecticut Medicaid Spousal Impoverishment RulesConnecticut Medicaid spousal impoverishment rules for 2026: how the CSRA, MMMNA, and asset protections work to keep your at-home spouse financially secure. MedicaidMedicaid Planning StrategiesSee which assets you keep, how the 5-year look-back works, and the legal moves that qualify you for Medicaid long-term care without losing the house. MedicaidHow Medicaid Estate Recovery WorksMedicaid estate recovery explained: federal law, 51-state matrix, categorical protections, hardship waivers, and 2025-2026 reform updates. Verify before acting. MedicaidThe Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance, ExplainedHow the Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance works in 2026: the $30 federal floor, state figures from $30 to $200, and how patient liability is calculated.

Find personalized help working through Connecticut Medicaid eligibility for your family at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.