LIHUE — Online shopping for a healthier future is now available — two weeks behind schedule. The Hawaii Health Connector announced Tuesday the opening of its online health insurance marketplace, originally scheduled for Oct. 1, in compliance with the federal
LIHUE — Online shopping for a healthier future is now available — two weeks behind schedule.
The Hawaii Health Connector announced Tuesday the opening of its online health insurance marketplace, originally scheduled for Oct. 1, in compliance with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Anyone wishing to buy health insurance now has the necessary information to make a more informed decision, HHC Executive Director Coral Andrews said in a press release announcing the start up.
“Improvements to the website are coming in the weeks ahead, yet today is significant because, for the first time, residents of Hawaii have access to insurance plan and rate information in one place,” she said.
Individuals and families who visit HHC’s website will be able to choose from a range of insurance plan options, compare specifics and prices, and select their plan and enroll, HHC states.
The website currently lists two health insurance providers, HMSA and Kaiser Permanente; four dental plan providers, Best Life, Guardian, Hawaii Dental Service and HMSA; and one vision plan provider, Vision.
Kauai’s HHC marketplace assistants, Hoola Lahui Hawaii, can be contacted at 240-0100 or at 4491, Rice St., Ste 105A, Lihue.
Marketplace assistants will be available through March to answer questions and help consumers to understand their options, according to Andrews.
HHC is Hawaii’s online health insurance marketplace, established in 2011 as a nonprofit organization by the state Legislature through Act 205, to comply with the 2010 federal act.
State-certified health insurance exchanges were supposed to debut their websites Oct. 1 to allow browsing for health insurance plans. But when HHC unveiled its website earlier this month, but plans weren’t available.
The missed deadline caused some confusion.
Moloaa farmers Tim and Hope Kallai, who pay the same insurance premium for the last 20 years, are facing medical procedures in the coming weeks.
They said they haven’t utilized their insurance in the last six years. But now, unsure of what will happen once the Affordable Care Act kicks in, they made it a priority to take care of any health problems. Kallai and his wife heard of HHC, but have not visited the site yet — they heard the plans weren’t available.
On the first week of November, Tim Kallai is going under a hip-replacement surgery, with his insurance picking up 80 percent of the surgery’s cost.
“I’ve got no clue,” Kallai said of how much he would have to fork to pay for his surgery if he chose to delay it to after ACA goes into effect Jan. 1.
But Monday’s announcement means shoppers can begin to compare rate
Consumers have until Dec. 7 to enroll in insurance plans starting Jan. 1, the earliest date for plans to be available through HHC. Enrollment will continue until March 31.
Andrews said that there will be no delays for those wishing to have health coverage by the start of next year.
For more information, contact HHC’s customer service at (877) 628-5076, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0452 or lazambuja@thegardenisland.com
