Today, we begin with these questions. what do know about Health insurance in Hawaii? or When you say, you have your life all sorted out and everything in place, do you include your health and health-related unforeseen circumstances? Before you give your honest answer, let us talk about a few things.
Oftentimes, we see people put aside money for a new car, vacation, a new house, or for whatever item that catches their fancy.
Yet, the majority of these populations do not remember to put aside money for their health for just-in-case purposes.
Again, in developed places like Hawaii, where they have good health insurance companies, you also get to see people who consciously or unconsciously skip the health part.
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Overview of health insurance in Hawaii
You see, health care insurance is a fine big sentence for having a company cater for your medical needs.
Apparently, these needs might come in form of illness, ambulance service, doctor’s visits, hospitalizations, or during health emergencies like accidents. So, these company helps you put little money aside for these events.
However, in Hawaii, there are health care insurance companies that will serve you better than others. You only have to search them out and let them serve you.
Therefore, finding that befitting health insurance in Hawaii can do you and your family a world of good. So that in times of health issues or health emergencies, you do not have to go penniless.
We have put together some real-life findings for you, as regards health insurance in Hawaii. So, if you want to relocate to Hawaii or reside there already, you can begin to work towards the goal of getting your health insured.
In Hawaii, you can find private health insurance plans or health insurance plans for small businesses and groups.
Though there are no specific laws that bound you to have health insurance coverage in Hawaii, however, it is only good to do the right thing at the right time.
Besides that, the government of Hawaii has always promoted health insurance with the Hawaiian Prepaid Health Care Act. Most times, employers are required to offer their employees’ group health insurance.
Interestingly, health insurance in Hawaii has been so diversified that you can get your health insured in different ways.
Either as an employee, the government-sponsored way, private health insurance companies, or through the federal exchange.
Early this year, there was a slight increase in the health plan in Hawaii, nevertheless, Hawaii Medical Service Association still offers one of the lowest and most affordable health insurance plans. It is only important that you choose the health plan tier that suits your need.
However, before you finally make your choice on health insurance in Hawaii, the two things you should thoroughly consider are your age and the metal tier.
As you get older, your monthly premium increases, whether you have any health issues or not. When your plan tier goes higher, your coverage increases.
For example, a healthy twenty-one-year-old would pay the sum of $245 per month if he was using the Bronze tier plan.
While on the other hand, a forty-year-old on the same plan pays $68 more for the same coverage. This only shows that, the higher your age, the increase in your monthly health plan coverage. Below is a breakdown of the average monthly cost of health insurance in Hawaii.
Cost of health insurance in Hawaii
Tier Age21 Age40 Age60
Catastrophic: $154 $197 $418
Bronze: $245 $313 $664
Expanded Bronze: $281 $359 $763
Silver: $348 $490 $1,042
Gold: $376 $480 $1,020
Platinum: $436 $558 $1,184
For better understanding, “metal tier level” means the category of health plans in the health care coverage. It is always talked about in metals. Bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.
So, if you are looking for the best plan to go for as an elderly person, it is advisable to go for the platinum plan.
This is because platinum covers 90% of your health. In contrast, the catastrophe coverage which is the minimum level does not have any extra benefit except three primary care visits in a year.
Health insurance companies in Hawaii
There are health insurance companies in Hawaii that have the best and most affordable plans. These companies, though in Hawaii, provides health care plan for millions of individuals all over the world.
Therefore, it is safe to say that health insurance companies in Hawaii can be trusted enough to help insure your health and that of your loved ones.
- Kaiser Permanente
If you belong to the category of people that loves going extra on things they do, then you’ve met your match in this company.
Kaiser Permanente is one of the largest and very highly rated health insurance companies in Hawaii.
This company has a network of over six hundred doctors and specialists across Hawaii. For a good ten years, the company has received massive rankings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Not only that, its network of specialists and doctors has won for themselves the Women’s Choice Award for obstetric and cancer care in 2018. Kaiser offers different health coverage plans for their clients across Hawaii.
- UnitedHealthcare
This is another giant in the health insurance industry in Hawaii. Though their plans are mostly short-term, they provide top-notch health care coverage which includes dental and vision plans. UnitedHealthcare is equally linked with the Medicare supplemental plan and offers everything approved by the ACA.
- Hawaii Medical Service Association
The Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) can proudly stand up as one of the best health care insurance providers in Hawaii.
Their services speak for them as one that provides one of the best health insurance plans in Hawaii. When it comes to pricing, the Hawaii Medical Service Association offers very affordable plans better than most health insurance companies in Hawaii. Unlike most health insurance companies, HMSA offers vision coverage plans.
- Ameritas
Ameritas is affordable and reliable. Also, they know how to do their job when it comes to health insurance.
Ameritas also provides dental and vision coverage plans at a very low cost. So, if you want if affordable yet quality, with dental and vision plans in Hawaii, Ameritas should be your go-to.
Cost of health insurance for families
Obviously, a family of three will not spend an equal amount on health insurance in Hawaii. The size and age of your family members will greatly affect the cost of your monthly health insurance plans.
Take, for example, children below the age of 15 need the minimum amount of money to maintain their health when insured. This is not so for a family of four adults.
| Family size | The average monthly cost of health insurance |
| Individual plus child | $784 |
| Couple, age 40 | $981 |
| Family of three (adult couple and a child) | $1,274 |
| Family of four (adult couple and two children) | $1,568 |
| Family of five (adult couple and three children) | $1,862 |
This table is based on silver health plan in Hawaii.
Health insurance marketplace in Hawaii
Most adult Hawaiians get their insurance from their employers and others that are not covered by their jobs or family plans get their health coverage through the marketplace in Hawaii.
Formerly, Hawaiians enrolled in the government health insurance through HealthCare.gov but that was changed in 2016. From then, the health insurance marketplace was taken over by the federal government.
Health insurance requirements for employers in Hawaii
In Hawaii, employers are required to provide health insurance coverage to all their employees. That is if they’re not already covered before their employment.
It does not matter if they work part-time or full-time, temporary or permanent. As an employer, you are bound by the law to do the needful by your employees.
Children’s health insurance program in Hawaii
Children are quite expensive to take care of and they are solely dependent on their parents for everything.
Thank goodness, the Hawaiian government set up a Children’s health insurance program (CHIP) in Hawaii that provides health coverage for children and most times, pregnant women.
The families of the children qualified for CHIP must meet certain health care insurance requirements.
This program provides very high coverage which covers the children for almost all the medical care services. Furthermore, that health care insurance for children includes services like immunizations, dental care, routine medical checkups.
Moving on, Parents are advised to enroll all their children in Hawaii Children’s insurance program to save them the expensive cost of taking care of their medical needs.
Hawaii Quest
Hawaii has another kind of health assistance program which is called the Hawaii Quest and Medicaid Fee-For-Service.
This medical assistance is for low-income earners that reside in Hawaii. The Medicaid Fee-For-Service covers the dental plan of the insured while the Quest provides coverage for the medical and mental health of the insured.
Pregnant women get quick attention and are easily eligible for health insurance coverage once it is certified that she is truly pregnant.
The Med-Quest is financed through the state of Hawaii and the federal Centres for Medicaid and Medicare services.
Now, to be eligible for the Quest program:
- You must live in Hawaii
- Must be uninsured
- Be 18 or below this age
- You must be a U.S citizen or legally admitted into the U.S
Benefits of health insurance
In case you still need a little more push to get yourself good health insurance in Hawaii, here you have it. Let’s talk about the benefits.
- Coverage against critical illness
Most times, these illnesses do not come knocking to give you a heads up first. These insurance companies provide you with a plan that helps you treat critical illnesses like stroke, loss of limb, heart failure without going broke.
With them, you will receive an amount of money that will cover your hospital expenses while you concentrate on getting better.
- Medical expense covered
Some people make hospital trips lots of times in a month and round the year. Another set of people needs their prescribed drugs in constant supply.
Yet, some other people need to be in constant communication with either their doctors, nurses, or assigned health caregivers.
Whichever it is for you, your insurance covers all these medical expenses even to your dental health. Luckily, you do not have to worry about where the funds for your next health care will come from.
- Cashless claim benefit
Your health care company most times, work with hospitals. So, to benefit from this, you have to fill out a form and register in such hospitals.
When the need arises, you only get to bring out your insurance health card and instantly get the quality health care you need.
- Tax benefits
Health insurance companies provide tax benefits for your plan. With your health care plan, you become eligible for tax deductions.
- Protection over employee cover
The majority of employers have a group health insurance plan for their employees. However, those covers do not have a personal touch to them.
Therefore, this is the more reason why you should get your own health insurance and tailor it down to your specific medical needs.
Conclusion
Finally, Hawaii has its fun and beauties, both the locals and the foreigners take advantage of its wonderful nature. On the other hand, the health maintenance part is shifted to the corner without a single thought to it.
A wise decision requires putting your health and your family’s well-being first, before the fun part. When you settle your health by enrolling in an insurance plan.
You can go ahead and sleep with both eyes closed and also enjoy life’s beauties on a clearer head with no health worries.
It is important to mention that low Income should not be the barrier to your excellent health care in time of need. Also, being out of a job is still not an excuse.
When you ask the proper questions, and meet the right people, you can get health care insurance coverage that can serve you well.
Remember, everyone deserves good health care, regardless of age or gender. What is that your answer to the question we asked earlier in this article?
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Chibueze Uchegbu is a certified medical physiologist with a great passion for healthy living.
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