HUSKY Renewal and Redetermination in Connecticut: How to Keep Coverage in 2026

Most HUSKY recipients in Connecticut do not think about their coverage between annual renewals — until the renewal notice arrives and the household has 30 days to respond. The renewal is the single most consequential interaction the household has with HUSKY each year because the system is designed to terminate coverage when the household does not respond, regardless of whether the household is actually eligible. The post-pandemic unwinding made this risk visible: thousands of Connecticut children and adults who were still eligible lost coverage simply because the renewal notice was mailed to an old address or because a single document was missing from the response. This guide explains how to avoid that outcome.

The Annual Renewal Cycle in 2026

HUSKY enrollees are renewed annually on the anniversary of their original enrollment month. A household that enrolled in March 2025 is up for renewal in March 2026; a household that enrolled in July 2025 is up for renewal in July 2026. The renewal process begins approximately 75 days before the renewal date with the state’s ex parte review (an automated check using federal data sources). If the ex parte review confirms continued eligibility, the household receives a notice of automatic renewal and no action is required. If the ex parte review cannot confirm eligibility, the household receives a renewal packet approximately 60 days before the renewal date with a 30-day response window.

Connecticut handles roughly 1 million MAGI HUSKY renewals and approximately 75,000 non-MAGI HUSKY renewals per year. The volume is distributed roughly evenly across the calendar months, meaning approximately 85,000 renewals per month. Connecticut’s eligibility workers prioritize newly received renewal responses and ex parte cases that require manual review; this is the reason renewal packets sometimes take longer than expected to process, particularly in high-volume months immediately following Open Enrollment (January, February, March).

The 2024 federal Medicaid rule (CMS 2439-F, the Streamlining Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment rule) standardized many renewal procedures across states, including a requirement that states attempt ex parte review for every renewal before requesting documentation from the household, and a requirement that states provide a 90-day reconsideration period after procedural termination. Connecticut implemented both requirements during the 2024–2025 cycle and they are fully operational for the 2026 renewal cycle. The result is that more Connecticut households are auto-renewed without action, and households that are procedurally terminated have a clear path to restoration without filing a new application.

Sources: CMS Streamlining Medicaid Rule

Ex Parte Renewal: When You Do Not Have to Do Anything

Ex parte renewal (Latin for ‘from one party only’) is the automated review the state performs using its own and federal data sources to confirm that the enrollee is still eligible. The federal data sources used by Connecticut include: IRS for tax-return income matching; SSA for Social Security benefits and citizenship verification; the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE system for immigration status; the Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) for cross-state Medicaid enrollment; the National New Hires Directory for employment income; and state databases for Connecticut Department of Labor wage reporting.

If the data sources confirm that income, household composition, and other eligibility factors are within HUSKY limits and unchanged, the system renews the case automatically and sends a notice to the household. The notice states that the renewal is complete and lists the data sources used. The household has 30 days to dispute any inaccurate information in the notice. If no dispute is filed, coverage continues for another 12 months with no action required.

The percentage of HUSKY cases renewed ex parte in Connecticut has grown from approximately 25% pre-pandemic to roughly 55–60% in 2026 as the state has improved data-source integration. The remaining 40–45% of cases require a renewal packet because the ex parte review identified discrepancies (income not matched, household composition possibly changed, immigration verification expired) or because the case has factors that cannot be verified through federal data sources (self-employment income, household composition with non-tax-filers, complex immigration scenarios).

When a Renewal Packet Arrives in the Mail

If your case is not auto-renewed, you receive a renewal packet by mail approximately 60 days before the renewal date. The packet contains: a renewal form pre-populated with the household’s current information; a list of verification documents required; instructions for returning the packet online (through AccessHealthCT.com or ConneCT), by mail, by fax, or in person at a DSS Resource Center; and the deadline (typically 30 days from the date of the packet). The packet looks similar to the original application but is shorter because it only asks the household to confirm or update the existing information rather than re-entering everything from scratch.

The fastest way to complete the renewal is online: log into the Access Health CT or ConneCT account, navigate to ‘Renew My Coverage,’ review and update the household information, upload the requested verification documents, and submit. The online process typically takes 15–25 minutes for households with straightforward circumstances and provides immediate confirmation of submission. Paper renewals take longer to process (the packet must be mailed back, scanned, and entered into the system, typically adding 7–14 days to processing). In-person renewals at DSS Resource Centers are immediate but require travel and waiting in line.

The renewal packet is mailed to the address on file. The single highest-leverage habit for HUSKY enrollees is keeping the address current. Update the address immediately after moving by logging into the Access Health CT or ConneCT account and changing it, or by calling 1-855-805-4325 (AHCT) or 1-855-626-6632 (DSS). Address updates are processed within 1–2 business days. The ‘address on file’ issue was the leading cause of procedural disenrollment during the 2023–2024 unwinding — households had moved during the pandemic, their address was never updated, and the renewal packet was returned to DSS as undeliverable.

What Triggers a Request for Information

A Request for Information (RFI) is issued when the renewal process identifies a discrepancy or missing piece of information that cannot be resolved through data sources. Common RFI triggers in 2026 include: income reported by the enrollee differs significantly from IRS or SSA records; the household has a new member (newborn, marriage, household member moved in) who was not previously on the case; the household has lost a member (divorce, death, household member moved out) who was previously on the case; the enrollee’s immigration documentation is approaching expiration and DHS-SAVE returns a status that needs additional documentation; self-employment income requires a Schedule C or self-employment ledger because IRS records do not reflect current income; and the enrollee’s reported deductions (HSA, retirement contributions) cannot be verified through tax-return matching.

The RFI notice specifies exactly what documents are needed and the deadline (typically 30 days from the date of the RFI). Common requested documents include: pay stubs covering the most recent 30 days; the most recent federal tax return or transcript; benefit award letters; immigration documents (permanent resident card, employment authorization document, certificate of citizenship); birth or adoption records for new household members; marriage certificate; divorce decree; lease or utility bill for residency verification; and self-employment ledger or Schedule C.

Respond to RFIs through the online portal whenever possible. The online upload provides an immediate confirmation timestamp and is processed within 3–7 business days. Mailed responses can take 14–21 days to be matched to the case in the system and the enrollee bears the risk of postal delays. If the RFI deadline is missed, the case is terminated effective the end of the renewal month. The 90-day reconsideration period then allows the enrollee to provide the missing documentation and have coverage restored without a new application.

Deadlines That Matter

The HUSKY Renewal Timeline

• 75 days before renewal: ex parte review conducted by the state using federal and state data sources.
• 60 days before renewal: if ex parte cannot confirm eligibility, renewal packet mailed to the household with a 30-day response window.
• 30 days before renewal: response due (extension by request is sometimes granted; call the eligibility worker as soon as you know you need more time).
• End of renewal month: coverage terminates if no response or incomplete response is received.
• Day 1 to day 90 after termination: 90-day reconsideration period during which the household can submit the missing information and have coverage restored retroactively to the termination date.
• Day 91 after termination: reconsideration period ends. The household must file a new application to regain coverage, with possible coverage gap until the new application is processed.

If you receive a renewal packet and cannot complete it by the deadline, call the eligibility worker (the phone number is on the packet) and request a 30-day extension. Extensions are typically granted when the household needs additional time to obtain verification documents from third parties (waiting for tax transcripts from the IRS, immigration documents from USCIS, or tax forms from an employer). Document the extension request — note the date you called, the name of the worker, and the new deadline. If the extension is verbally granted but the case is terminated anyway, the documented extension is grounds for an immediate restoration request.

Procedural Termination and the 90-Day Reconsideration Period

Procedural termination is termination for failure to complete the renewal process, not for actual ineligibility. The federal Streamlining Medicaid Rule requires states to provide a 90-day reconsideration period during which the household can submit the missing information and have coverage restored without a new application. Connecticut implements the 90-day reconsideration through the original renewal channel: the household logs into Access Health CT or ConneCT, submits the missing information, and the eligibility worker re-evaluates the case. If the original eligibility is confirmed, coverage is restored retroactively to the termination date — meaning the household has continuous coverage with no gap, even though the case was technically terminated for a period.

Retroactive restoration is critical because it covers medical bills incurred during the termination window. A child who was terminated on March 31 and had a hospital visit on April 12 will have the April 12 visit covered if the restoration is approved before the 90-day reconsideration period ends on June 29. Without restoration, the family would owe the hospital bill out of pocket. This is why responding within the 90-day window is essential, even if the response is delayed beyond the original renewal deadline.

If the household misses the 90-day reconsideration window, the only path forward is a new application. The new application is processed under the standard 45-day MAGI / 90-day non-MAGI processing rule. Coverage typically takes effect the first of the month in which the new application is filed, with retroactive coverage available for up to three months prior for HUSKY A and HUSKY C (not HUSKY B). The 90-day reconsideration period is the most underused protection in HUSKY — many households assume that termination means starting over, when in fact they have three months to restore the original case.

Reporting Changes Mid-Year

HUSKY enrollees are required to report certain changes within 10 days of the change. Required reportable changes include: change of address; addition of a household member (marriage, birth, adoption, household member moves in); loss of a household member (divorce, death, household member moves out); significant income changes (loss of job, new job, substantial change in self-employment income, start or stop of Social Security or pension); gain of other health insurance coverage (e.g., new employer plan, Medicare enrollment); change in immigration status; and incarceration of a household member.

Reporting is done through the same channels as the original application: online through Access Health CT or ConneCT, by phone, or in person. Online is fastest and provides documentation of the report. Some changes require updated verification documents (marriage certificate, new employer information, divorce decree); the system will issue an RFI for these as part of the change processing.

Failure to report changes can result in retroactive overpayment claims by DSS — the state may seek to recover the value of Medicaid services received during periods of unreported ineligibility. For most households, this risk is theoretical because the state’s recovery activity focuses on intentional misrepresentation or significant unreported income. But the 10-day reporting requirement is the rule, and households should err on the side of reporting any meaningful change.

12-Month Continuous Eligibility for Children and Adults

Connecticut has implemented 12-month continuous eligibility (12CE) for all HUSKY children under federal authority effective January 1, 2024, and for HUSKY D adults effective January 1, 2025 (under CMS state plan amendment approval). Twelve-month continuous eligibility means that once a child or HUSKY D adult is determined eligible at the time of application or renewal, their coverage is locked in for 12 months even if household income subsequently increases above the eligibility threshold. Coverage cannot be terminated for income changes during the 12-month period; coverage can only be terminated for: moving out of Connecticut; gaining other health insurance coverage; failing to complete the next annual renewal; death; or aging out (children turning 19 transition from HUSKY A children to HUSKY D adult if otherwise eligible, or to marketplace coverage).

12CE is the single most important protection against month-to-month income volatility for HUSKY families. A parent whose self-employment income spikes for two months during a busy season does not lose HUSKY for those months — the eligibility determination at the most recent renewal locks in coverage for 12 months. This is especially valuable for Connecticut residents in industries with cyclical income (real estate, construction, hospitality, education) and for gig economy workers whose income varies week to week.

Pregnant individuals under HUSKY A have a separate 12-month postpartum continuous eligibility extension: once the pregnancy is established, coverage continues through delivery and 12 months postpartum without re-determination. This extension was implemented in Connecticut effective April 1, 2022 under Section 9812 of the American Rescue Plan Act and made permanent under subsequent federal authority. The 12-month postpartum extension covers all medically necessary care including behavioral health, which is critical given that postpartum depression and anxiety affect roughly 1 in 8 birthing parents.

Sources: CMS Postpartum Extension

How a Broker Helps With Renewal

A Connecticut Certified Broker provides three forms of renewal support at no charge to the consumer. First, calendar tracking: the broker tracks renewal dates for every client and reaches out 60 days before renewal to confirm whether ex parte renewal occurred or whether a packet needs to be completed. Second, packet review: when a renewal packet arrives, the broker reviews the document list, helps the household gather the required documentation, and submits the response through the broker portal. Third, RFI response and restoration support: if an RFI is issued or if coverage is terminated procedurally, the broker assists with the response or restoration within the 90-day window.

The broker’s ongoing support is especially valuable for households with complex circumstances: self-employed clients with fluctuating income, immigrant households with documentation that needs periodic refresh, divorced or separated parents sharing custody, and households where adult children are aging out of HUSKY A children’s coverage. For these households, the annual renewal is not a routine paperwork exercise but a strategic decision about how to maintain coverage across changing circumstances.

If you do not currently have a broker and your HUSKY renewal is approaching, you can engage a broker mid-cycle simply by adding them as your authorized representative on your Access Health CT or ConneCT account. The broker then has access to the case and can assist with the renewal. There is no fee to the consumer and no commitment beyond the current renewal — the broker assists for as long as the consumer wants the support.

Frequently Asked Questions