Caregiver Exemptions Take Shape Before 2027 Medicaid Rules
Connecticut HUSKY D enrollees who provide home care should check their renewal date to see if an attestation is needed.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Child Care
Connecticut's Department of Social Services plans to share information on documenting Medicaid caregiver exemptions toward the end of December 2026, ahead of new federal work requirements that take effect January 1, 2027 for HUSKY D enrollees ages 19 to 64. No Connecticut Medicaid enrollee needs to take action right now.
Why it matters
Parents and family caregivers who look after a child under 14 or a person with a disability may qualify for an exemption from the new work requirements, so knowing how the attestation works can keep coverage in place for households that depend on it. The state says it does not want to disrupt home care networks and supports for people receiving care at home.
Caregivers with HUSKY D coverage must complete an attestation only if their renewal falls due after January 2027. The 2027 self-attestation requires checking a box in the online portal or telling Access Health CT by phone.
The players
Connecticut Department of Social Services
The state agency that administers HUSKY D Medicaid and is sharing caregiver exemption guidance with families.
Access Health CT
Connecticut's state health insurance marketplace, where caregivers document exemptions online or by phone.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
The federal agency that oversees Medicaid and is expected to issue documentation guidance for caregivers in 2028.
The details
The federal law exempts certain people who care for children under 14 or people with disabilities. A parent, guardian, caretaker relative, or family caregiver of a person with a disability or a child under 14 qualifies, and caregivers who live with the person they assist with daily activities or needs such as transportation and bill payment document the exemption through Access Health CT. Hours of caregiving can be combined with work, volunteering, and school to meet the work and community engagement requirement.
Timeline
End of December 2026: State shares caregiver exemption documentation process information.
January 1, 2027: New Medicaid work requirements take effect for HUSKY D enrollees ages 19 to 64.
2028: Federal documentation requirements for caregivers are expected but have not yet been issued.
The Home Front
The federal work requirement law sets a January 2027 start date that Connecticut must now translate into household-level steps for HUSKY D enrollees. Families providing home care sit at the center of the exemption rules, which the state has tied to keeping home care networks intact.
If you care for a child under 14 or a family member with a disability, check whether your Medicaid renewal falls due after January 2027 so you know whether you will need to complete an attestation. Keep records of the caregiving you provide, including hours and the living arrangement, so you can document the exemption when the process opens.
The takeaway
Caregivers who support a child under 14 or a person with a disability may qualify for an exemption, so confirm when your HUSKY D renewal is due. Save records of your caregiving hours now, since Access Health CT will ask you to document them.
What happens next
The Connecticut Department of Social Services is expected to share caregiver exemption documentation information toward the end of December 2026, and the federal work requirements take effect January 1, 2027.
Further reading
For more on how family care arrangements are supported, see Child Care coverage in Connecticut.
More information
Find Connecticut DSS Medicaid information on the state's official Medicaid resource page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Connecticut Public.
