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Chair reports pending bill to close Medicaid eligibility gap for disabled adult children in Connecticut
Summary
The RAC chair described a pending bill before the legislature intended to prevent disabled adult children from losing Husky C Medicaid coverage when their benefit status changes from SSI to SSDI; the chair encouraged members to contact their legislators.
At the Regional Advisory Council meeting, the chair reported a pending bill before the Connecticut General Assembly’s House and Senate Joint Committee that, according to the chair, would amend state eligibility rules so some disabled adult children do not lose Husky C Medicaid coverage when their Social Security benefit status changes.
The chair said DDS staff circulated a tally sheet showing committee members’ positions and urged council members to contact their state representative or senator if they wished to support the proposal. “If you have an opportunity to reach out to your respective house member or senate and if you want to support the bill, feel free to support the bill,” the chair said.
The chair described Connecticut as operating under a 209(b) Medicaid policy rather than a 1634 rule that some other states use. The chair said Connecticut’s resource limit for some programs remains $1,600, lower than the $2,000 often found in other states. The chair explained the issue this way: when a disabled adult child’s benefit type changes from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) because of a parent’s benefits, the increased income can push the individual above Husky C income eligibility even though some Medicaid waiver income limits are higher.
The chair said the bill is intended to treat disabled adult children consistently — whether they receive services through Medicaid waivers or through Husky C — and noted the change, if passed, would apply only to disabled adult children, not to people who became disabled after age 22.
Council members discussed next steps. The chair and other participants said the tally sheet shows committee members’ likely votes but is not an official floor vote, and the chair said implementation details and effective dates would depend on the statute and any subsequent regulations.
Why it matters: The proposed change would address an eligibility gap that can cause some disabled adult children to lose Husky C coverage after benefit changes, potentially affecting access to services.
What members can do: the chair suggested contacting legislators listed on the tally sheet shared with council members.
