What to know about financial aid for Access Health CT enrollment

Open enrollment is underway

Connecticut residents can now compare and purchase health coverage through Access Health CT, the state’s health insurance exchange.

The annual sign-up window, known as open enrollment, has begun and continues through the deadline for plans starting in the new year. A separate deadline applies to plans beginning in February.

The state offers financial help to some residents to lower the cost of coverage. Here is a closer look at what that means.

CoveredCT and temporary premium assistance

Federal subsidies introduced during the COVID-19 era that made Affordable Care Act plans more affordable expired at the end of last year. In response, Gov. Ned Lamont said the state would continue that aid for eligible residents during the 2026 plan year.

He later extended the assistance for another year.

The state will keep covering the lost federal funding in 2027 for people enrolled in CoveredCT, which offers no-cost plans to low-income families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.

Anyone who qualified for Temporary Premium Assistance in 2026 will qualify again in 2027.

Temporary premium assistance replaces all of the expired federal support for ACA enrollees with incomes between 100% and 200% of the federal poverty level. Enrollees with incomes above 400% and up to 500% of the federal poverty level will receive aid equal to half of the expired federal subsidy amount.

For 2026, the federal poverty level was set at an annual income of $15,960 for one person and $33,000 for a family of four.

Early childhood educators

The state also launched a separate program to help early childcare workers pay for health insurance. Early childhood educators buying 2027 coverage through the exchange can apply for annual subsidies ranging from $1,000 to $1,200.

Lamont said the goal is to reflect Connecticut’s ongoing effort to recruit and keep qualified educators.

Eligible applicants include early childhood educators and staff at licensed childcare centers or licensed family childcare homes. This group includes family child care teachers, preschool and infant/toddler teachers, directors, and administrative and support staff at child care programs licensed by the Office of Early Childhood. Public school preschool teachers do not qualify.

An estimated 7,200 to 8,800 early childcare workers are eligible for the program.

The ECE subsidy can be used along with other federal and state financial help, including temporary premium assistance. However, residents who qualify for CoveredCT or Medicaid are not eligible for the ECE subsidy.

How to find out whether you qualify

CoveredCT and temporary premium assistance will automatically be built into pricing on the Access Health CT enrollment system for eligible residents.

Early childhood workers must create an account through the Early Childhood Professional Registry before submitting an application and must identify themselves as working in early childcare on the application.

Residents can also enroll by phone at 1-855-805-4325 or in person by appointment with an Access Health CT enrollment specialist. Enrollment events are also being held across the state during the open enrollment period.