TOP HUSKY A EMPLOYERS

Location:
EMPLOYMENT; INSURANCE - HEALTH;


May 18, 2009		2009-R-0217
TOP HUSKY A EMPLOYERS

By: Robin K. Cohen, Principal Analyst

You asked us to update information that we provided in 2005 indicating those employers with the highest number of employees whose children are enrolled in the HUSKY A program.

Table 1 lists the top 25 employers whose employees' children, and in some cases the employees, were receiving HUSKY A as of April 2009. It also compares the total enrollments with those reported in February 2005 (OLR report 2005-R-0281). Adult caretaker relatives whose children receive HUSKY A can also receive the benefit. Since 2005, the legislature increased the income limit for these adults from 150% to 185% of the federal poverty level, which is the same limit that applies to children. DSS reports that between February 2005 and March 2009, the total number of family Medicaid recipients (almost all of whom are HUSKY A recipients) increased by 31%.

The number of child recipients may be overstated as some may be counted twice. That is because a child could conceivably be living in a two-parent household in which one caretaker is receiving HUSKY A and the other is not.

Finally, we do not have a breakdown of hours-per-week worked, which would be a factor in an employer's decision to offer coverage. In a separate 2005 report (2005-R-0017), we learned that 61% of employees whose children received HUSKY B worked more than 30 hours per week, while another 29% worked between 20 and 30 hours.

Table 1. Adults and Children Covered by HUSKY A and Top 25 Employers as of April 2009

*Employer*	*Child Recipients Whose Parents Do Not Receive HUSKY A*	*Caretaker Recipients Receiving HUSKY A*	*Caretaker HUSKY A Recipients' Children*	*April 2009 Total Recipients*	*2005 Total Recipients [1]*	*% Change*
Walmart	512	1,134	2,095	3,741	2,232	67.6
Dunkin Donuts	447	1,071	1,635	3,153	1,438	119.3
Stop & Shop	378	767	1,227	2,372	1,996	18.8
McDonalds	579	509	827	1,915	1,290	48.4
First Student (transit co.)	Not in Top 25 [2]	480	991	1,471	565	160.4
Target	140	385	633	1,158	328	253.0
Care 4 Kids	67	351	603	1,021	457	123.4
Companions and Homemakers	119	280	493	892	419	112.9
Mohegan Sun	142	243	458	843	762	10.6
CVS	80	252	400	732	579	26.4
Burger King	140	224	361	725	632	14.7
Home Depot	115	212	369	696	571	21.9
Hartford Hospital	88	139	256	483	401	20.4
Subway	119	211	349	679	341	99.1
Macy's	62	210	354	626	Not in Top 25	----
Laidlaw Transit	87	170	350	607	1,248	(51.4)
Kohl's	73	154	350	577	Not in top 25	----
Foxwoods	89	183	300	572	501	14.2
Walgreens	67	201	300	568	306	85.6
Bank of America	83	170	297	550	498 [3]	10.4
Wendy's	107	159	256	522	392	33.2
Shaw's	90	154	266	518	754	(31.3)
Dattco (transit co.)	Not in Top 25	146	286	432	Not in Top 25	---
Yale-New Haven Hospital	99	111	210	420	Not in Top 25	---
Home Goods	Not in Top 25	121	227	348	Not in Top 25	---

Source: Department of Social Services, “Top 25 Employers—HUSKY A Non-Recipient Parent/Caretaker Relatives” and “Top 25 Employers—HUSKY A Parent/Caretaker Relative Recipients,” April 2009; OLR report 2005-R-0281

[1] In 2005, OLR did not have exact child recipient numbers. It used a multiplier of 1.37 children per adult to arrive at an approximate number of child enrollees. The multiplier was based on the average size of a HUSKY A “assistance unit” or family receiving HUSKY A coverage in February 2005.

[2] Cells without numbers reflect that the employer for the HUSKY A recipients or non-recipients was not in the Top 25. It is likely that the employer had employees or employees' children who were enrolled in HUSKY A.

[3] In 2005, Bank of America was Fleet Bank in Connecticut.

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