Almost one-third of Medicaid applications in Connecticut were rejected on the basis of income between 2018 and 2025, according to data from the Department of Social Services (DSS) obtained by Inside Investigator through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
Between 2018 and 2025, 1,555,647 Connecticut residents applied for Medicaid, and 488,617 of them, or 31%, did not meet the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) requirements.
Medicaid eligibility is usually based on the applicant’s MAGI. The status varies by a person’s income, family, and medical conditions. For example, in order for a pregnant woman to qualify for Medicaid, she needs to make 258% of the federal poverty level (FPL) or less, but a parent or caretaker only needs to make 155% of the FPL to qualify for Medicaid in the state.
There was a four-year period during which people who earned more than the state’s income guidelines were allowed to receive a healthcare subsidy for a public plan. In 2021, Congress passed enhanced premium credits for the Affordable Care Act in an effort to stabilize the healthcare market during the pandemic. They extended healthcare subsidies to people whose household income was up to 400% of the FPL. The tax credits were extended in 2022 and expired at the end of 2025.
The number of Medicaid applications received by either the Medicaid agency or the state marketplace has fluctuated significantly in the past seven years. At the low end, only 10,421 Medicaid applications were received in April, 2021, and on the high end, 27,589 applications were received in December, 2025. Between 2018 and 2025, around 5,000 applications a month were consistently rejected on the basis of income.
Both the highest number of total applications and rejections happened in December, 2025. That month, 27,589 applications were received, and 6,727 were rejected, almost one-fourth, for not meeting MAGI standards.
Applications can also be rejected if they were filled out incorrectly or were missing documentation.
As of January, more than 900,000 residents in Connecticut, including 365,000 children, were enrolled in either Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This makes up around 22% of residents.
Medicaid isn’t the only public healthcare option in Connecticut. Enrollment in Access Health CT (AHCT) plans increased by 4% at the start of the year. In February, AHCT reported a total of 157,246 people enrolled in a qualified health plan during the 2026 open enrollment period—up more than 7,000 from the previous year.
“Another record-breaking enrollment year shows that Connecticut residents are prioritizing their health and the peace of mind coverage provides,” said Access Health CT Chief Executive Officer James Michel in a press release from February. “Having coverage means access to preventive care, prescriptions and protection from unexpected medical costs. With monthly premium costs increasing following the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits, the financial help announced by Governor Lamont is helping ensure thousands of Connecticut residents can still access coverage for themselves and their families.”
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