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Connecticut Health Insurance Consumer Guide
This guide can help you find the right health plan in Connecticut for you and your family. For many, an Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace/exchange plan, also called Obamacare, can be an affordable and robust coverage solution.
Connecticut runs its own state-based exchange called Access Health CT. Individual and family plans on the ACA Marketplace are for people who don’t have access to Medicaid, Medicare, or employer-sponsored health insurance. This includes:
- Self-employed people
- Early retirees needing coverage until Medicare
- Workers at small businesses without health benefits
Connecticut is among the states where state-funded subsidies are available in addition to federal subsidies. In Connecticut, this is known as the Covered Connecticut program, and it’s available to adults with household incomes up to 175% of the poverty level.1 (As described below, legislation is under consideration in 2024 that would expand access to the Covered Connecticut program.)
View our comprehensive guides to coverage in Connecticut
Dental coverage in Connecticut
In 2023, there are two insurers that offer stand-alone individual/family dental coverage through the health insurance marketplace in Connecticut.2 Learn more about plan availability.
Connecticut’s Medicaid program
Connecticut took the lead as the initial state to embrace the Medicaid eligibility expansion under ACA, putting it into action in 2014.3 Over 1 million people were enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP as of April 2023.4
Medicare coverage and enrollment in Connecticut
As of April 2023, more than 720,000 Connecticut residents had Medicare coverage.5 Learn more about Medicare in Connecticut, including private plan options and Medigap plans.
Short-term coverage in Connecticut
Currently, no insurance company provides short-term health plans in Connecticut.6 Use our guide to learn more about Connecticut's rules concerning short-term coverage.
Frequently asked questions about health insurance in Connecticut
Who can buy Marketplace health insurance?
To qualify for Marketplace coverage in Connecticut, you must:7
- Live in Connecticut
- Be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawfully present in the U.S.
- Not be incarcerated
- Not be enrolled in Medicare
Although that makes most people in Connecticut eligible to use the Marketplace, eligibility for financial assistance (premium subsidies and cost-sharing reductions) also depends on income. In addition, to be eligible for financial assistance through Access Health CT, you must:
- Not be eligible for employer-sponsored coverage that’s considered affordable and provides minimum value.
- Not be eligible for HUSKY (Medicaid/CHIP)
- Not be eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A.8
- If married, file a joint tax return with your spouse9 (with very limited exceptions)10
- Not be able to be claimed by someone else as a tax dependent.11
When can I enroll in an ACA-compliant plan in Connecticut?
Connecticut’s open enrollment period for individual and family health plans runs from November 1 to January 15.12
- Enroll by December 15 for coverage to start January 1.
- Enroll between December 16 and January 15 for coverage to begin February 1.
Outside of open enrollment, you generally need a qualifying life event, such as losing coverage, getting married, or permanently moving to enroll or make changes. And Connecticut is among a handful of states where pregnancy is considered a qualifying event.13
The qualifying event will trigger a special enrollment period (SEP) that will allow you to sign up for coverage or switch to a different plan.
But some people can sign up without a qualifying life event. For example:
Native Americans can enroll year-round.14
People eligible for the Covered Connecticut program can enroll anytime.15
Anyone eligible for HUSKY (Medicaid/CHIP) in Connecticut can also enroll year-round.
How do I enroll in a Marketplace plan in Connecticut?
There are multiple ways to enroll in an ACA Marketplace plan in Connecticut:16
- Online: Go to AccessHealthCT.com to create an account and apply.
- Phone: Contact the Call Center at 855-805-4325.
- Get help from a navigator, certified application counselor, or agent/broker certified with Access Health CT. These individuals can provide help over the phone, in-person, or online.
How can I find affordable health insurance in Connecticut?
You can find affordable individual and family health plans in Connecticut through AccessHealthCT.com, the state’s ACA exchange.
Access Health CT is where you can:
- Shop, compare, and sign up for health and dental plans
- Qualify for financial help to lower your costs
- Enroll in HUSKY (Medicaid/CHIP) or the Covered Connecticut Program if eligible
Eighty-seven percent of Access Health CT enrollees receive subsidies, saving an average of $766 each month on their 2024 premiums.17 These subsidies are called Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTC). Subsidy-eligible Connecticut Marketplace enrollees pay an average of $233/month in after-subsidy premiums in 2024.17
If your income is no more than 250% of the federal poverty level, you may qualify for cost-sharing reductions (CSR) to lower your deductibles and out-of-pocket costs.18
If you qualify for Covered Connecticut, the state will cover your portion of the monthly premiums and any expenses related to cost-sharing, such as your deductibles, copays, and co-insurance.
Covered Connecticut is available to enrollees with household income up to 175% of the poverty level (they must also not be eligible for Medicaid, which is available up to 138% of the poverty level).
Under the Covered Connecticut program, eligible enrollees must select a silver plan through Access Health CT and accept all of the federal subsidies available to them. Covered Connecticut then pays any remaining premiums and cost-sharing, resulting in a plan that has a $0 premium and $0 cost-sharing.1
Legislation is under consideration in 2024 that would extend Covered Connecticut to 200% of the poverty level, and also create a second reduced-benefit tier of the program, available to enrollees with income between 200% and 300% of the poverty level.19
Source: CMS.gov20
How many insurers offer Marketplace coverage in Connecticut?
Three insurance companies offer individual/family coverage through the Connecticut exchange:21
Are Marketplace health insurance premiums increasing in Connecticut?
The Connecticut Insurance Department approved the following average rate changes for 2024, which amount to an overall average rate increase of 9.4%, before any subsidies are applied:22
Connecticut’s ACA Marketplace Plan 2024 Approved Rate Increases by Insurance Company |
|
---|---|
Issuer | Percent Increase |
Anthem | 5.6% |
ConnectiCare Benefits | 10.3% |
ConnectiCare Insurance Company | 15.3% |
Source: Connecticut Insurance Department23
For perspective, here’s an overview of how average unsubsidized premiums have changed in Connecticut’s individual/family market over the years:
- 2015: Average decrease of 1%.24
- 2016: Average increase of 3.5%.25
- 2017: Average increase of 24.8%.26
- 2018: Average increase of 28.4%.27
- 2019: Average insurance of 2.72%.28
- 2020: Average increase of 3.65%.29
- 2021: Average increase of 0.01%.30
- 2022: Average increase of 5.6%.31
- 2023: Average increase of 12.9%.32
How many people are insured through Connecticut’s Marketplace?
A record-high 129,000 people enrolled in private plans through the Connecticut exchange during the open enrollment period for 2024 coverage.33
The enrollment growth was driven in part by the continued subsidy enhancements under the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, as well as the “unwinding” of the pandemic-era Medicaid continuous coverage rule, with some people transitioning from Medicaid to a Marketplace plan. Access Health CT also noted that the enrollment growth was partially due to additional outreach and enrollment efforts by the Marketplace and local brokers.34
Source: 2014,35 2015,36 2016,37 2017,38 2018,39 2019,40 2020,41 2021,42 2022,43 202320
What health insurance resources are available to Connecticut residents?
Access Health CT
This website is used by Connecticut residents to sign up for private individual market or small-group coverage and income-based Medicaid/CHIP coverage.
Connecticut CHOICES Program
Offers free enrollment counseling and assistance for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers.
Connecticut Insurance Department
Regulates and licenses the state’s health insurance companies, brokers, and agents. They also address inquiries and complaints from consumers about entities under their regulation.
Husky Healthcare
Provides health coverage for Connecticut residents with lower and moderate incomes.
Medicare Rights Center
This nationwide service offers help and information to Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers.
Louise Norris is an individual health insurance broker who has been writing about health insurance and health reform since 2006. She has written dozens of opinions and educational pieces about the Affordable Care Act for healthinsurance.org.
Footnotes
- Covered Connecticut Program. Access Health CT. Accessed November 2023. ⤶ ⤶
- “Connecticut dental insurance guide 2023” healthinsurance.org, Accessed September 2023 ⤶
- “Connecticut First to Expand Medicaid Under Health Care Law” The Commonwealth Fund, June 21, 2010 ⤶
- "Total Monthly Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment and Pre-ACA Enrollment" KFF.org, April 2023 ⤶
- “Medicare Monthly Enrollment” CMS.gov, April 2023 ⤶
- “Availability of short-term health insurance in Connecticut” healthinsurance.org, April 6, 2023 ⤶
- ”A quick guide to the Health Insurance Marketplace” HealthCare.gov ⤶
- Medicare and the Marketplace, Master FAQ. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Accessed November 2023. ⤶
- Premium Tax Credit — The Basics. Internal Revenue Service. Accessed MONTH. ⤶
- Updates to frequently asked questions about the Premium Tax Credit. Internal Revenue Service. February 2024. ⤶
- Premium Tax Credit — The Basics. Internal Revenue Service. Accessed January 12, 2024. ⤶
- “When can you get health insurance?” HealthCare.gov, 2023 ⤶
- Special Enrollment Periods. Access Health CT. Accessed November 2023. ⤶
- “Who doesn’t need a special enrollment period?“ healthinsurance.org, Accessed August 2023 ⤶
- Covered Connecticut Program. Connecticut.gov. Accessed November 2023. ⤶
- “Get Help with Your Health Insurance” Access Health CT, Accessed September 2023 ⤶
- “2024 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, March 22, 2024 ⤶ ⤶
- “Federal Poverty Level (FPL)” HealthCare.gov, 2023 ⤶
- ”Connecticut SB317” BillTrack50. Accessed March 27, 2024. ⤶
- “2023 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, March 2023 ⤶ ⤶
- On-Exchange Plans, 2024 Rates. Connecticut Insurance Department. Accessed November 8, 2023. ⤶
- “Health Insurance Rates for 2024” Connecticut Insurance Department, Accessed September 2023 ⤶
- On-Exchange Plans, 2024 Rates. Connecticut Insurance Department. Accessed November 2023. ⤶
- Analysis Finds No Nationwide Increase in Health Insurance Marketplace Premiums. The Commonwealth Fund. December 2014. ⤶
- Connecticut: *Approved* 2016 Weighted Avg. Rate Hikes: +3.5%, -2.9% Sm. Group. ACA Signups. September 2015. ⤶
- Avg. UNSUBSIDIZED Indy Mkt Rate Hikes: 25% (49 States + DC). ACA Signups. October 2016. ⤶
- 2018 Rate Hikes. ACA Signups. October 2017. ⤶
- Health Insurance Rates for 2020. Connecticut Insurance Department. September 2018. ⤶
- Health Insurance Rates for 2020. Connecticut Insurance Department. September 2019. ⤶
- Health Insurance Rates for 2021. Connecticut Insurance Department. September 2020. ⤶
- Health Insurance Rates for 2022. Connecticut Insurance Department. September 2021. ⤶
- Many CT health insurance plans will see double-digit rate hikes in 2023. Connecticut Mirror. September 2022. ⤶
- “2024 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, March 22, 2024 ⤶
- ”Record Number 0f Connecticut Residents Enroll in Health Insurance Plans Through Access Health CT for 2024” Access Health CT. January 18, 2024. ⤶
- “ASPE Issue Brief (2014)” ASPE, 2015 ⤶
- “Health Insurance Marketplaces 2015 Open Enrollment Period: March Enrollment Report”, HHS.gov, 2015 ⤶
- “HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACES 2016 OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD: FINAL ENROLLMENT REPORT” HHS.gov, 2016 ⤶
- “2017 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, 2017 ⤶
- “2018 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, 2018 ⤶
- “2019 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, 2019 ⤶
- “2020 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, 2020 ⤶
- “2021 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, 2021 ⤶
- “2022 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files” CMS.gov, 2022 ⤶