WEEKLY UPDATE: 09/24/26
The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) has begun sending text, emails, and paper notices to all HUSKY D members about upcoming federal Medicaid work requirements, encouraging them to update their contact information, complete the HUSKY D pre-screener, and stay alert for future communications from the state. DSS has also launched a patient-friendly, public-facing web page, MedicaidMattersCT.org, which serves as an entry point to help visitors easily access DSS information and additional resources. The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) continues to collaborate with DSS and community partners to elevate awareness and help patients and healthcare providers prepare.
Starting January 1, 2027, HUSKY D members who do not qualify for an exemption to the new requirements will need to meet at least one of the following to maintain HUSKY D coverage: earn $580+/month; complete 80 hours/month of work, community service, volunteer work, training (or a combination); or be enrolled in school at least half-time. Certain individuals are exempt from the requirement, including those who are disabled or medically frail, pregnant or in a postpartum period, parents and caretakers of children under 14 years of age or people with disabilities, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and certain others.
Connecticut’s New Medical Frailty Ex Parte Process for HUSKY D Members
As part of the interim final rule for implementing the federal work requirements, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced a new two-pronged standard for the “medical frailty” exemption. To qualify for this type of exemption, an individual must not only have a medical condition that meets the federal definition of medical frailty but also demonstrate that the condition “significantly impairs” their ability to comply with the work requirement.
Medical frailty is defined as:
- Blindness or disability under Social Security Act §1614
- Substance use disorder — excluding stable recovery of five years or more
- Disabling mental disorder
- Physical, intellectual, or developmental disability that significantly impairs one or more activities of daily living
- Serious or complex medical condition
DSS has continued to refine how the state determines medical frailty to include a larger variety of medical diagnosis and procedure codes within the federal definition. DSS has recently presented a planned ex parte verification methodology for identifying individuals who meet both components of the new “medical frailty” standard — leveraging existing data available to DSS without additional HUSKY D member action. DSS’s algorithm uses existing diagnosis, procedure, and other claims-based data to verify the individual has 1) a qualifying condition indicating medical frailty, and 2) a qualifying severity indicator showing significant impairment in the ability to work.
DSS indicated that the approach may allow the state to identify approximately 133,000 HUSKY D recipients as medically frail. This is 96% of the medically frail population DSS had hoped to exempt through automated processes before the release of the federal interim final rule. DSS’s ex parte process could significantly reduce the need for physicians, hospitals, behavioral health providers, and other clinical staff to prepare and submit supporting documentation during renewal processing for many medically frail HUSKY D members.
New CHA HUSKY D Messaging and Training Resources
CHA has developed a new technical provider training presentation for healthcare providers and community partners. The presentation is focused on HUSKY D eligibility, exemption (including medical frailty), reporting, and renewal requirements. Click here to access the presentation directly.
Public-facing HUSKY D Messaging Starter Kit Materials are now available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
All CHA materials explaining the new work requirements, including flyers, posters, and social media graphics, are available for download at cthosp.org/huskyd.
