Kaiser Permanente expands health access program on Maui and Oʻahu; applications open Nov. 1-Jan. 15

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi is expanding its Hawaiʻi Health Access Program to provide affordable, high-quality health care to more residents.

Launched in 2023 to support Maui residents affected by the August 2023 wildfires, the program will now include Oʻahu residents for the first time while continuing to serve more people on Maui. Eligible residents without access to Medicaid or other health coverage may apply to the program during the open enrollment period, which runs from Nov. 1 through Jan. 15. US citizenship is not required to qualify.

The health access program provides a subsidy for enrollment in a designated Kaiser Permanente Individual and Family Plan, which eliminates or substantially reduces out-of-pocket costs for most services at Kaiser Permanente facilities. The plan includes preventive care, prescription drugs and pediatric vision services. Funded entirely by Kaiser Permanente, the program operates without any public or private contributions.

“Our priority is to ensure that everyone in our communities receives the affordable, high-quality health care they deserve,” said Ed Chan, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Hospitals in Hawaiʻi. “By expanding the Hawaiʻi Health Access Program to Oʻahu, we are able to reach even more residents and continue offering critical support to those on Maui.”

The plan is part of Kaiser Permanente’s Charitable Health Coverage initiative, which subsidizes health coverage for low-income individuals without access to other public or private health coverage. In 2023, nearly 200 Maui residents benefited from the program. With this expansion, the plan continues to provide access to care for those in need.

To be eligible to enroll and remain enrolled in the program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Reside on Maui or Oʻahu.
• Live in a household with an annual income up to 300% of the federal poverty level, which for 2024 is up to $51,930 for a single person or $107,640 for a four-member household.
• Be ineligible or not have access to other public or private health coverage such as, but not limited to, Medicaid or Med-QUEST, Medicare, a job-based health plan, or coverage through a health benefit exchange.

To see if you qualify and to apply, Maui and Oʻahu residents may contact the following organizations:

Kaiser Permanente will keep your personal information private, as required by law, and use it only to see if you qualify for the program.

For more information, visit charitablehealth.kaiserpermanente.org/hawaii/. Applicants may also contact Kaiser Permanente member services at 1-800-966-5955 (TTY 711), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday (closed major holidays).

For more information, go to about.kp.org.