Hawaii Island residents are being asked to mark their calendars for Dec. 15.
That’s the deadline for residents to enroll through the Hawaii Health Connector for health insurance coverage to take effect by Jan. 1.
“People are getting busy with a lot of other things this time of year,” said Jeffery M. Kissel, executive director of the Hawaii Health Connector, “They’re getting busy with a lot of other things, like holiday shopping. But we’re asking them to, in addition to changing their batteries in their smoke detectors, to keep the deadline for filing an application for health-care coverage.”
The Connector fell short of its goal last year for enrollees for the inaugural year of coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act after a number of technical difficulties complicated access for residents. While many of those problems have been ironed out, the Connector is still a work in progress, Kissel admitted.
“We are a long way down the road,” he said, “but we still have work to do.”
That’s why the Connector has “wrapped human beings around our technology,” Kissel said, hiring a number of assisters known as Kokua to provide customers with personal attention and freedom from wrestling with technical issues.
The Kokua from the state’s online insurance marketplace are now gearing up for a campaign running from Dec. 8 to 15. During the Connector’s “#ConnectHI: Your Week to Take Action,” they will be available for one-on-one consultations at a number of events throughout the state.
On the Big Island, Kokua will be available on the following days:
- Dec. 9, at Waimea Annnunciation Church, 65-1235 Kawaihae Road in Waimea from 9 to 11 a.m.
- Dec. 10, at Honokaa Salvation Army, 45 Richard Place in Honokaa from 9 a.m. to noon.
- Dec. 10, at Keolamauloa Church Food Pantry, 65-1108 Mamalahoa Highway, Waimea, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
- Dec. 13, at Honokaa Farmer’s Market, Old Botelho Building on Mamane Street, Honokaa, from 8 a.m. to noon.
- Dec. 13, at Kohala Farmer’s Market, under the banyan trees in Hawi, from 8 a.m. to noon.
- Dec. 14, at Laupahoehoe Farmer’s Market – Mini Stop, 36-2266 Mamalahoa Highway, Laupahoehoe, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Customers won’t have to worry about bringing much with them, just a valid government-issued ID.
“They don’t need to worry about having a medical history or information about pre-existing conditions, because they can get coverage under the Affordable Care Act regardless,” Kissel said.
Many customers may also be eligible for the federal premium assistance program, but in order to enroll, that will take more time, so he added Hawaii residents shouldn’t leave things until the last minute.
“As long as they’ve spoken with us by Dec. 15, we can get them coverage,” he said.
For more information, visit hawaiihealthconnector.com/events, or call 877-628-5076.
To find the nearest assister, or Kokua, visit hawaiihealthconnector.com/help/assister-locations.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.