NEWBORN ELIGIBILITY – HUSKY A / HUSKY B

HOW DOES A PREGNANT WOMAN WHO IS ON HEALTHY START GET MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR HER NEWBORN?

If a woman is on Healthy Start during her pregnancy, her newborn should automatically be enrolled in HUSKY A through a process called Newborn Eligibility.

When a mother with Healthy Start coverage delivers, the hospital completes a Newborn Notification Form. This form is faxed to the DSS central office, where:

• The newborn is granted HUSKY coverage for one year.
• The baby is given a client identification number
• The hospital is notified of the baby’s identification number
• The mother’s DSS worker is notified that the newborn has been added, so that the worker can issue a client identification card for the newborn

Every hospital must have a designated staff person who is responsible for completing the Newborn Notification Form. This form must be completed by the hospital within 5 days of the child’s birth.

Once the newborn is approved for HUSKY A, he/she will be enrolled in the same plan as the mother.

HOW DOES A PREGNANT WOMAN WHO IS NOT ON HEALTHY START GET MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR HER NEWBORN?

If a woman is not eligible for Healthy Start, she can apply for HUSKY for her unborn child by:

• Requesting a HUSKY application from HUSKY Infoline, ACS or hospital.
• Submitting the completed HUSKY application to ACS 2-3 weeks prior to the estimated due date. The mother should indicate on the application that she is pregnant and requesting insurance for her unborn child.
• After delivery, contacting ACS and notifying them of the baby’s birth date and social security number, if available. This should be done before the child turns one month old.

NEWBORNS OF UNDOCUMENTED WOMEN ELIGIBLE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAID:

Newborns are automatically eligible for HUSKY for one year regardless of income changes. After one year the child would qualify for HUSKY A or B depending on household size and income until they turn 19.

IS THERE RETROACTIVE COVERAGE FOR NEWBORNS?

If the newborn is determined eligible for HUSKY A, the coverage may be granted retroactive up to 90 days prior to the date of application. (Retroactive coverage is granted if the newborn was eligible for HUSKY A during the period retroactive coverage is being requested.)

If the newborn is determined eligible for HUSKY B, the coverage may be granted retroactively if the application is received within 30 days of the baby’s date of birth.

NEWBORN INITIATIVE:

Former Governor Rell's goal was to enroll uninsured newborns (regardless of house hold income) before they are discharged from the hospital so no child leaves the hospital uninsured. This Initiative applies to uninsured women who do not qualify for Medicaid. Newborns will be eligible for one year of HUSKY coverage. As part of the initiative HUSKY B will waive premiums for four months.

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE: Search by service name:
Healthy Start
Search by program name:
HUSKY

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SOURCE: HUSKY Infoline
PREPARED BY: 211/lb
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: November2011