Kaiser Permanente releases Maui pharmacy closure details ahead of Monday strike

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi announced operational plans Saturday for Maui County ahead of an open-ended strike by unionized health care workers scheduled to begin Monday.

While the health provider states all medical facilities will remain open, patients on Maui should expect disruptions to pharmacy services at several locations.

The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals issued a notice for a potential open-ended strike beginning Jan. 26. The union represents approximately 240 employees statewide, including pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists and certified registered nurse anesthetists.

This action follows a previous limited duration strike in October 2025.

According to Kaiser Permanente, the strike will not affect operations at Maui Memorial Medical Center or Kula Hospital, which are operated by Maui Health and staffed by workers under different union contracts.

Kaiser Permanente officials confirmed Saturday that while clinics will remain open, pharmacy operations will vary by location.

“Some of our pharmacy locations may be closed or operating with reduced hours,” a Kaiser Permanente spokesperson said in an email Saturday. “This includes Kīhei, Lahaina, and our Wailuku locations.”

The pharmacy at the Maui Lani Medical Office will remain open. Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Picketing is scheduled only at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center on Oʻahu, with no picket lines currently planned for Maui facilities.

Kaiser Permanente advises members not to cancel or reschedule appointments set for the week of Jan. 26 unless contacted directly.

“We have been reaching out to members directly to reschedule some nonurgent appointments and elective surgeries,” the statement said. “If a member has an appointment scheduled on a possible strike date, please don’t cancel or reschedule. We’ll contact you if we have to reschedule your appointment.”

To mitigate the impact of pharmacy closures, the provider has activated a pharmacy care team to handle new and urgent prescriptions. Members can call 808-643-7979 and press 3 to reach the care team.

“We will also have greeters at our pharmacy locations to support our members,” the spokesperson said.

Patients are also encouraged to use the mail-order pharmacy service via kp.org or the Kaiser Permanente app, with delivery typically taking five to seven days.

The looming strike comes amid stalled contract negotiations. Six days ago, Kaiser Permanente publicized what it termed a “historic wage offer,” proposing a 21.5% wage increase over the life of a new contract.

The union has argued that the strike is necessary to address staffing shortages and patient care standards. More information on the union’s position are available by clicking here and here.

Regarding the staffing for the coming week, Kaiser Permanente stated it has “robust plans” to ensure care continuity.

“All our facilities will remain open and continue to be staffed by our physicians, trained and experienced managers, and staff,” the statement read. “We will augment our teams with licensed and qualified contract staff as needed.”