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How “Hawaii Health Connector”, The Official Hawaii Website for Health Insurance, Works
The Hawaii Health Insurance Exchange, Hawaii Health Connector, is the official Hawaii State marketplace for health insurance under Obamacare. You can use Hawaii Health Connector to apply for cost-assistance, compare prices of plans, change plans, and enroll in a plan that best suits you, your family, or your small business. Let’s do a quick overview of how Hawaii’s health insurance exchange works and what you need to know before shopping on your state’s marketplace.
IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR 2016: If you live in Hawaii, the way you sign up for health coverage is changing. For 2016 you’ll use HealthCare.Gov instead of the Hawaii Health Connector website to apply for coverage and enroll in health insurance plans. The only way to get cost assistance for 2016 will be through HealthCare.gov, so even if you already have a plan make sure to re-enroll in the plan of your choice and claim the cost assistance you deserve.
NOTE: Although you’ll use HealthCare.Gov to enroll for 2016 in Hawaii almost all the information below still applies. Remember Hawaii has unique federal poverty level guidelines which help determine cost assistance amounts.
Article from 2014 in LA Times:
articles.latimes.com
When the Affordable Care Act passed, Hawaii appeared to be one of the states best-positioned to benefit. Because of a 40-year-old state law requiring employers to provide coverage, its uninsured population is among the lowest in the nation at 100,000 people, or 8%. But even with $205 million in federal grants, the state’s exchange has been mired in technical problems that have kept enrollment the lowest among the 50 states -- just 4,300 as of mid-February. Beyond those problems, Matsuda said that low demand for health insurance in Hawaii would make it difficult for the exchange to stay afloat over the long term.
($205 million was with the fed grants. Could be a coincidence.) |
