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Area agencies, advocates press to raise Husky C asset limit from $1,600; proponents say change preserves community care and saves state money
Summary
Multiple witnesses urged the committee to raise the Medicaid asset limit for Husky C beneficiaries (currently $1,600) so more older adults can access Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders and remain in the community. Advocates cited the 1973 origin of the limit and proposed increases such as $10,000.
Area agency directors, legal advocates and service navigators told the Aging Committee that Connecticut's current Medicaid asset eligibility limit of $1,600 — set in 1973 — is untenably low and prevents many older adults from qualifying for the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders.
Marie Allen, who represents one of the five area agencies on aging, told the committee that the $1,600 limit “was set in 1973” and leaves eligible residents with no cushion for common emergency repairs or replacement of glasses or hearing aids. “No one wakes up one morning and says I think I’ll spend down to $1,600 in my savings account so I can qualify for Medicaid,” Allen said, arguing an increased limit would help people remain safely at home and save the state money by avoiding more costly nursing‑home placements.
David Angel, a service navigator for the Southwestern Connecticut Agency on Aging, urged increasing the asset threshold to $10,000, saying $1,600 is often less than a month’s rent in many areas and too little to cover basic emergency needs.
Barbara Green, representing the Elder Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, described the historical context and said the current cap was fixed more than 50 years ago and that an inflation‑adjusted equivalent would be substantially higher; she argued raising the limit would help seniors retain modest savings and continue to access home‑based services.
Witnesses said the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders provides nursing, adult day services, transportation and meals that enable older adults to remain in the community and that increasing the asset limit would reduce state long‑term care spending by shifting care away from higher‑cost institutional settings.
No formal vote was taken; testimony urged lawmakers to increase the asset limit so more residents can qualify for home‑and community‑based services.
