DSS complies with court decision; legal immigrants can access HUSKY again

Last month, a Hartford Superior Court judge ruled that the state’s action to cut health coverage for adult legal immigrants was unconstitutional. But it took another ruling last Friday for DSS to comply with that ruling, according to Greater Hartford Legal Assistance attorneys who brought the suit. The court found that the denial of health care coverage for low-income state residents who were otherwise eligible violated the equal protection clause of the CT constitution. However, DSS did not re-open the program, only responding to cases brought to them by the attorneys on a case-by-case basis. The cut was the result of an agreement between the Governor and legislature to address the budget deficit. 4,823 CT residents lost coverage; the cut was expected to save $14 million annually.

DSS is again accepting applications from legal immigrant adults and the 4,823 people cut off the program will get notices that they are reinstated and coverage is reinstated retroactively to last month.
Ellen Andrews