How many people will lose HUSKY in your town?

About 10% of some areas could lose health insurance

As many as one in 10 people in some Connecticut cities and towns could lose their HUSKY health insurance, according to a new report from DataHaven, a Connecticut Project grantee.

In Hartford, 12,738 of the 90,274 people on HUSKY could lose their health insurance because of unfair, irresponsible federal budget cuts. That’s 10.6% of the city’s entire population.

A Hartford County resident told us they used HUSKY to make medical appointments they’d put off because of the cost. Now that they received care, they are more active and happier.

“[We need HUSKY] because we are the Constitution State,” they said. “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness can't exist if you're hungry, depressed, or dead.”

More than 900,000 people in our state were on HUSKY last year. People use it to pay for annual check-ups, the birth of a baby, cancer treatments, and other healthcare. Without it, moms, babies, children, seniors, and people with disabilities will be forced to choose between paying rent, buying groceries, and seeing the doctor when they’re sick.

Looming federal cuts are putting up to 200,000 Connecticut residents at risk of losing their healthcare. Our state must step in to protect people’s healthcare, now. That means using part of the more than $1.7 billion budget surplus to protect HUSKY, as well as programs like SNAP.

According to the new report, the areas that will be hit the hardest by HUSKY cuts are:

• Hartford - 10.6% of residents will lose HUSKY
• Waterbury - 9.9% of residents will lose HUSKY
• New Britain - 9.6% of residents will lose HUSKY
• Bridgeport - 8.9% of residents will lose HUSKY
• New London - 8.4% of residents will lose HUSKY

More than 7% of the people who live in New Haven, Norwich, East Hartford, Windham, Meriden, Ansonia are projected to lose HUSKY. Rural areas, where it’s already more difficult to find care, will also be hit hard.

Single parents are expected to be hurt more than other groups, with 71,000 single parents expected to lose their HUSKY benefits.

“My family would not be able to see a doctor without the help of HUSKY,” a mother in Hartford County told us.

According to the report, people of all races and ethnicities will be hit hard by cuts, and people of color will be hurt at greater rates than people who are white. About 9% of Connecticut’s Latine population and 8% of the Black population are expected to lose coverage.

The federal cuts also target SNAP, which people use to buy groceries by using their EBT card. Many people who are on HUSKY also use SNAP, making the cuts hit even deeper for our communities. 

Cuts will hurt every community in the state. Emily, who lives in Norwich, said her life would look a lot different without HUSKY. Her family used it when she was young after her mother lost her job. She currently uses it to get healthcare.

“I would not be vaccinated correctly, would not have gotten any of the medical help that I needed, would not have seen [a] dentist, gynecologist, primary care, physicians, optometrist, or any other type of doctor,” she told us. “I would not have known that I have a cyst in my brain.” 

She said she wouldn’t be able to work without HUSKY.

“If I can’t get healthcare when I am unemployed or underemployed, then I cannot contribute to society,” she told us.

Jeffrey, in West Hartford, uses HUSKY D to visit his doctors.

“I honestly feel that HUSKY is the main reason why I have stayed healthy and alive,” he said.

He urges the state to protect healthcare.

“By removing even small portions of SNAP or HUSKY, it will remove the ability for all these people to contribute to their neighborhood, their state, and their nation,” he said.

It is still not clear when cuts and changes to SNAP and HUSKY will happen, because the state has not received a timeline from the federal government. The Connecticut Department of Social Services is tracking changes to HUSKY and SNAP and when they will happen. If you are currently using HUSKY or SNAP, you should still receive your benefits until you hear otherwise.

Take action now to fight for HUSKY and SNAP.