With HUSKY, Marisol can take charge of her health

Federal cuts could take that security away from up to 200,000 Connecticut residents

Without HUSKY, Marisol wouldn’t be able to afford the medications that manage her depression, anemia, and issues with low blood sugar.

“I would have been in a worse state of mind if it wasn’t for the help that I’m getting right now,” she said.

Marisol, who lives in Manchester, uses HUSKY to go to the doctor and afford her prescriptions, and SNAP to pay for the food that helps her manage her health conditions. But with federal cuts to both programs, she’s unsure of what the future looks like.

Last year, more than 400,000 Connecticut residents used SNAP to help pay for groceries, and 900,000 used HUSKY for medical care. The looming federal cuts are unfair, cruel, and will hurt people in our state, especially single moms, children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. It’s estimated that up to 200,000 Connecticut residents could lose access to HUSKY, and it’s not yet clear how many could lose SNAP.

Marisol said her health got worse when she didn’t go to the doctor due to not being able to afford medical care. She recently reluctantly left her longtime job due to her health, and is waiting to be approved for disability benefits.

“My doctor told me, ‘You have to pull away from your job,’” she said.

Marisol is juggling the rising cost of living. Even on a Section 8 housing assistance voucher, she said that rent is hard to afford because of increasing prices.

She urges the state to take action to protect people from losing HUSKY and SNAP. Cutting programs, she said, hurts both the people using them to get by and the people with careers in healthcare, at grocery stores, and in agriculture.

“I think without HUSKY, not only a person like me would lose, but a person who is working on the other side would lose their jobs, as well,” she said.

It is still not clear when all of the cuts and changes to SNAP and HUSKY will happen, because the state has not received a timeline from the federal government. The Connecticut Department of Social Services is tracking changes to HUSKY and SNAP and when they will happen. If you are currently using HUSKY or SNAP, you should still receive your benefits until you hear otherwise.

Connecticut must step in to protect our services from unfair federal cuts. Unless the state takes action, people will lose access to HUSKY and SNAP. Our state has a responsibility to protect our communities. Cutting these programs is wrong and will hurt residents across Connecticut who will be forced to choose between paying for food and going to a doctor.

“Not only my life [would be hurt], but people who use the program,” she said. “I think their lives matter. I don’t think we should be unnoticed.”

Take action now to fight for HUSKY and SNAP.