Connecticut CHOICES Program: Free Benefits Counseling for Seniors and Caregivers

You just found out your parent might qualify for state-funded home care, a Medicare Savings Program, or Extra Help with prescriptions — but no one can tell you which programs apply to their exact situation. Connecticut's CHOICES program exists to answer that question, and it costs nothing.

What CHOICES Actually Does

CHOICES (Connecticut's Health Insurance Options, Coverage, Eligibility, and Services) is a statewide counseling program run through the five regional Area Agencies on Aging that form the AgingCT network. Certified CHOICES counselors provide free, unbiased guidance on health insurance and public benefit eligibility — they don't sell insurance or represent any provider.

A typical counseling session covers:

• Medicare enrollment and plan comparisons — original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage, Medigap supplemental plans, and Part D prescription drug coverage
• Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) — QMB, SLMB, and QI programs that pay Part B premiums and sometimes deductibles for low-income seniors
• Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) — federal assistance with Part D prescription copays and premiums
• Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE) — screening for both the state-funded (Category 2) and Medicaid-waiver (Category 3) tiers that fund in-home care
• HUSKY C (Medicaid) — long-term care Medicaid eligibility, including the $1,600 asset limit for single applicants and spousal impoverishment protections
• SNAP (food stamps) and energy assistance — programs many seniors qualify for but never apply to

The counselors are trained on Connecticut-specific rules, which matter because the state's Medicaid asset threshold ($1,600) is lower than the $2,000 federal default, and CHCPE eligibility has its own income and clinical requirements that differ from standard Medicaid.

How CHOICES Counseling Works

CHOICES sessions are available by phone, in person at your regional Area Agency on Aging, or at community outreach events. Here's how to access them:

Step 1: Identify your regional agency. Connecticut's five AAAs divide the state geographically:

• Southwestern CT Agency on Aging (SWCAA) — Fairfield County
• Agency on Aging of South Central CT (AASCC) — Greater New Haven and lower Naugatuck Valley
• Connecticut Community Care, Inc. (CCCI) — Hartford, Tolland, Litchfield, Middlesex, New London, and Windham counties
• North Central Area Agency on Aging — Greater Hartford region
• Eastern Connecticut Area Agency on Aging — Northeastern Connecticut

Step 2: Call or request a counseling appointment. You can also call Connecticut's 2-1-1 helpline, which routes directly to CHOICES-certified counselors and other aging services.

Step 3: Gather basic documents before the session. Bring your parent's Medicare card, any supplemental insurance cards, a recent Social Security statement showing monthly income, and bank statements showing liquid assets. The counselor can run a more accurate eligibility screening if they have real numbers.

What CHOICES Counselors Screen For That Families Miss

Most families calling about one specific program — usually Medicare plan selection during open enrollment — discover their parent qualifies for two or three others. Common examples:

The Medicare Savings Program gap. A single Connecticut senior earning under $2,807 per month (Connecticut's 2026 QMB limit — much higher than the federal cutoff) qualifies to have Medicare Part B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance paid by the state. Many families pay $202.90/month in Part B premiums without realizing they qualify.

CHCPE before crisis. The CHOICES screening can flag whether a parent's functional decline (needing help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation) meets the clinical threshold for CHCPE Category 2 services — even if they don't yet meet Medicaid financial limits. Category 2 allows assets up to $48,798 for a single applicant, far more generous than the $1,600 HUSKY C threshold.

Dual-eligible coordination. Seniors who have both Medicare and Medicaid (HUSKY C) are "dual eligible" and face confusing overlapping coverage. CHOICES counselors help sort which program covers what, preventing denied claims and unexpected bills.

When to Use CHOICES vs. an Elder Law Attorney

CHOICES is the right starting point when you need to understand which programs your parent qualifies for and how to apply. It's free, unbiased, and Connecticut-specific.

An elder law attorney becomes necessary when your parent's situation involves asset protection planning (Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts, gifting strategies within the 60-month lookback window), conservatorship petitions through probate court, or contested family disagreements about care decisions. Connecticut elder law attorneys typically charge $300 to $500 per hour, and full Medicaid planning engagements run $6,000 to $15,000.

The practical approach: use CHOICES counseling first to map out which programs apply, then bring that information to an attorney if advanced planning is needed. Arriving with a clear benefits picture saves hours of expensive consultation time.

Getting Started

Call 2-1-1 to connect with your local CHOICES counselor, or visit the AgingCT website to find your regional Area Agency on Aging. Sessions are available year-round, not just during Medicare open enrollment — and the counselors can screen for state programs like CHCPE that have no enrollment window.

If your parent is facing a care transition and you're comparing home care, assisted living, and nursing home options in Connecticut, the Connecticut Care Decision Guide walks through the full decision framework — from recognizing decline through CHCPE screening, facility vetting, and cost planning.

See more Connecticut guides →