#health care
As state, Maui Health decide future of damaged Kula Hospital, another long-term care facility nears capacity
Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green said the options for the damaged Upcountry hospital could include a mobile unit designed for disasters or a temporary modular clinic like the one Kaiser built in Lahaina after the 2023 wildfires.
Displaced by storm damage, over 100 Kula Hospital patients cope with separation between Maui, O‘ahu facilities
Eight of the nine residents at Kula Hospital’s Hale Makamae, a facility for developmentally disabled individuals, had to be moved off island.
Hawaiʻi Women’s Legislative Caucus presents 2026 bill package to support women, children, and families
Members of the bipartisan Hawaiʻi Women’s Legislative Caucus led a panel discussion on Wednesday, in collaboration with the YWCA of Oʻahu to present their 2026 legislative package as part of their continuous work to improve the lives of Hawaiʻi’s women, children, and families.
Hawai’i Senate Majority Outlines Priorities For The Upcoming 2026 Legislative Session
The Hawai’i Senate Majority today announced its 2026 legislative priorities in advance of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature’s Opening Day on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.
Open enrollment is underway for the 2026 Health Insurance Marketplace
Open enrollment for the Individual Marketplace is underway. The Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division advises eligible residents to visit HealthCare.gov to review and compare Health Insurance Marketplace plans.
Nation’s first communal dialysis home in Hāna needs repairs to keep operating at full capacity
Before Hale Pōmaika‘i Community Dialysis Center opened 16 years ago in Hāna, patients had to travel four-hours roundtrip to Central Maui three times a week for the life-saving treatments.
Kaiser Permanente workers end five-day strike, negotiations set to resume
31,000 Kaiser Permanente registered nurses and health care professionals across California and Hawaiʻi represented by the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) concluded their five-day strike on Sunday.
Hundreds of Kaiser Permanente health care workers on Maui go on strike, forcing temporary closure of Kīhei clinic
Kaiser Hawai’i employees say they’re being treated like “second class” as their counterparts in other states make much higher salaries.
Some Medicare patients could lose coverage for virtual doctor’s visits at end of month
Telehealth proved critical in the pandemic, pushing the federal government to allow Medicare coverage for more services in more areas. But those flexibilities will end for patients in some areas unless Congress acts by Sept. 30.
Op-Ed: Interstate telehealth could be lifesaver for Maui patients
Op-Ed: Malia Hill, policy director for the Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi shares her thoughts on interstate Telehealth for Maui.
Ka Ipu Kukui’s youth program celebrates 6th cohort; Now recruiting Lāna‘i participants
Ten high school students from Maui recently completed the 2025 programming of Stay Maui Nui, a youth career exploration and leadership program developed by the Ka Ipu Kukui Fellows. Held June 23–27, the week-long program offered students opportunities to explore career pathways, develop leadership skills, and deepen their connection to Maui through site visits, workshops, and mentor engagement.
Maui students gain hands-on experience at inaugural Career Exploration Day
High school students from across Maui County explored careers in health care at the inaugural Career Exploration Day, hosted by Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi in partnership with Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks™ program.
Reflecting on pandemic five years later, Maui hospital officials say crisis prepared them for fires, future emergencies
In the pandemic, Maui Health had to run an emergency operations center, set up community clinics, tap into other health care facilities for assistance and communicate better with staff and the community.
Five years after pandemic, hospital workers on Maui still remember the mental toll
Nurses at Maui Memorial Medical Center during the COVID pandemic went to great lengths not to bring the virus home and spent months in isolation from loved ones and neighbors who applauded their bravery but feared being around them.
Maui Health workers avoid strike, approve new contract with 21% pay raises and safe staffing plans
The agreement was hammered out in December following a three-day strike. The union wields significant power with 930 members — more than half of the 1,650 employees at Maui Health’s three hospitals.
Medicaid coverage expands for Hawai‘i families
Hawai‘i joins 12 other states leading the way with expanded continuous Medicaid coverage for children, alongside Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington.
Union workers at Maui Health hospitals plan to strike in 10 days if contract talks still tied up
Maui Health said it has contingency plans in place for a strike and that all facilities will remain open, as talks continue over the three remaining major issues: wages, benefits and staffing.
Health care facilities gear up for HECO’s ‘last resort’ power shutoff plan that kicks in today
“We never got a generator because we knew way back when if we ever had a major catastrophe of that significance all our physicians would report to the hospital because it’d be that severe,” Maui Medical Group Administrator Cliff Alakai said in explaining why the clinics would have to shut down if they lost power under Hawaiian Electric’s new plan.
Schatz introduces legislation to prevent youth suicide
The Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act would fund suicide prevention initiatives, ensure health care providers receive training to prevent intentional harm and create a centralized hub to provide safety information to at-risk youth and their support networks.
Hawaiʻi Health Access Program has space for Maui residents who aren’t eligible for Medicaid or other plans
Space still available for Kaiser Permanente’s Hawaii Health Access Program for Maui residents who aren’t eligible for Medicaid or other health plans. Apply before open enrollment ends Jan. 16, 2024.
