.png&w=256&q=75){kind=small}
Does Connecticut Pay for Home Health Care?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
Connecticut pays for home health care for seniors with limited income and assets, under the state’s Medicaid program. Connecticut’s Medicaid program is administered by HUSKY Health. Residents aged 65 and older may get help paying for home health care through HUSKY C, if they do not exceed specific income and asset limits.
Home health care includes medically necessary monitoring, support and therapy as directed by a physician during rehabilitation or recovery from illness or injury. Home health care includes visits from skilled nurses and certified nursing assistants, as well as physical, occupational or speech therapists. Visiting nurses or certified nursing assistants assist with wound care, administer medications or injections and manage medical equipment such as oxygen tanks.
Which home health care services are covered by HUSKY C?
Seniors who are eligible for HUSKY C can expect coverage for specific types of home health care. As part of a physician’s orders, HUSKY C home health services include in-home visits from skilled nurses and short-term rehabilitation services from physical, occupational and speech therapists. Under HUSKY C, home health aides help seniors with certain daily living tasks, including toileting, oral hygiene, bathing, dressing and mobility. However, HUSKY C does not include assistance with home care tasks such as housekeeping, meal preparation and companion services.
Who qualifies for Connecticut’s HUSKY C?
Seniors with limited income and assets may qualify for HUSKY C. The monthly income limits are $653 for single and $879 for married residents, and the asset limits are $1,600 for single and $2,400 for married seniors. Seniors with income levels exceeding the HUSKY C limits may be eligible for Connecticut’s Medicaid “spend-down” program. In a spend-down program, excess income used for medical costs can help seniors meet Medicaid’s income eligibility requirement.
Home health care under HUSKY C requires a physician’s order. Seniors needing continual home health care after recovery from illness or injury will need to cover the cost on their own. According to Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey data, home health care in Connecticut averages $5,339 per month.