Medical Insurance for Hawaii residents? (Kailua: health insurance, house, university)

[Kurt]

[/b] Is it true that all employers in Hawaii are required to offer medical plans to their employees? How many hours a week does one have to work to qualify if not full-time?

If I go out there when I am 60 years old with COBRA for 18 months from my present employer, does the state of Hawaii have a medical insurance pool to cover those who are not yet taking Medicare? I could pay premiums on such a plan. I understand Kaiser and Hawaii State Blue Cross are good. I need a plan for catastrophic only. I do not have any serious preexisting conditions. I am now 56 1/2 years old.

Also, if you are a full-time student at the University of Hawaii can you get medical coverage there? Would they frown on a 60 year old doing that? I could study anthropology for a few years.

Anyways, enlighten me on medical coverage in Hawaii. I have been to the islands numerous times. My Dad was retired military and we used to go to the Hale Koa every Christmas. Thanks.

[Konafriend]

As an employer I'm required to cover an employee who works over 20 hours per week with health insurance.

I don't know the answer to your other questions.

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by Konafriend

As an employer I'm required to cover an employee who works over 20 hours per week with health insurance.

I don't know the answer to your other questions.

WOW! Medical insurance with only 20+ hours. Maybe that is a bit of a hardship for you as an employer? Anyways, we should be like other civilized countries and have socialized medicine. I am a conservative and a capitalist investor. I also teach Macroeconomics in a college. But, medical care does no fit the free enterprise model of choice very well. We all need it and there is no such thing as a Walmart for heart surgeons! So I do support universal coverage. It seems Hawaii is rather advanced in this area.

Are you from the Kona coast? I almost bought some land down in Puna a few years ago. Boy, I could have picked it up for a song back then! Had any more earth tremors lately. How is the Hawaiian Sovereignty movement coming on the Big Island. I am very much a student of Hawaiian culture but sovereignty sounds complicated. But the Southwest portion of the island is a possible site for a Hawaiian nation.

[Konafriend]

Originally Posted by Kurt

WOW! Medical insurance with only 20+ hours. Maybe that is a bit of a hardship for you as an employer?

But, medical care does no fit the free enterprise model of choice very well.

Are you from the Kona coast?

How is the Hawaiian Sovereignty movement coming on the Big Island. I am very much a student of Hawaiian culture but sovereignty sounds complicated. But the Southwest portion of the island is a possible site for a Hawaiian nation.

Medical insurance is very affordable compared to mainland rates that I've heard of. For example, It costs anywhere from about 225 to 300 dollors per worker depending on the plan. 10 years ago it was 165 per employee with Kaiser. So it's starting to get to the point of hurting small business. But it is still manageable.

If Hawaii can make this work, every state in the union could. Anyways.

I've lived in Kailua Kona the last 10 years and have run a small alignment and brake repair shop the entire time. I've had as many as 6 employees at one time.

You still hear about Sovereignty, but like the Akaka bill, nobody agrees about anything and I'd bet a million dollars it will never be resolved. The Hawaiians don't agree amongst themselves about the issue and as long as they are devided they have no chance of changing their situation.

[wika]

the catch to the 20+ hours a week is that it needs to be for 3 consecutive weeks in order to qualify for medical otherwise your employer is not legally obligated to provide medical coverage.

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by Konafriend

Medical insurance is very affordable compared to mainland rates that I've heard of. For example, It costs anywhere from about 225 to 300 dollors per worker depending on the plan. 10 years ago it was 165 per employee with Kaiser. So it's starting to get to the point of hurting small business. But it is still manageable.

If Hawaii can make this work, every state in the union could. Anyways.

I've lived in Kailua Kona the last 10 years and have run a small alignment and brake repair shop the entire time. I've had as many as 6 employees at one time.

You still hear about Sovereignty, but like the Akaka bill, nobody agrees about anything and I'd bet a million dollars it will never be resolved. The Hawaiians don't agree amongst themselves about the issue and as long as they are devided they have no chance of changing their situation.

The insurance rates you quote are soooo reasonable! Hawaii is such a progressive state. I agree with you on the Hawaiian sovereignty thing. The Aloha Spirit of the Islands is really found in that wonderful mixing of ethnicities that makes the people so open and physically beautiful--at its best--I know it is not paradise in that area and there are some tensions.

Someone once told me that Hawaii was either the greatest fantasy land in the world or a picture of the future of our planet. I hope it is a picture of the future.

The last time I visited your beautiful island I spent all my time down on the Puna Coast. That was serveral years ago and I looked at some coastal property that did not yet have electricity. I bet all that is changing really fast.

The only family I have is in Sitka Alaska--a brother with kids and grandkids. My bro is now retired from politics--he was Speaker of the Alaska State House for a time. My parents and grandparents are all passed on. I have only a few distant cousins. So living in Hawaii would not be a hardship for me as I am pretty much alone with no ties to the mainland.

I am history and economics professor. I have done a good deal of research in Polynesian history. I think I would like to pursue that further. I am now 56 and am in the position that I could retire in about 2 years. I had another friend who told me, "Make your money on the mainland and then come to Hawaii."

I would like to visit the islands with the intent to possibly relocate. It would be great to have you as a contact there. Just someone to visit with or bounce things off of---I am a single male and a Christian--but I am not self-righteous or unpleasant about it if you know what I mean. I am just a moral and ethical sort of guy. Here is what turns me on: water, beaches, color patterns as in photography and textile design. I would probably dabble in that during retirement. I own waterfront property in Louisiana and Oklahoma which I would sell for a small place on the Big Island.

[Brenmatsten]

So does this mean that if you are head of household and work full time that you can get coverage for your whole family or do you have to pay separately for that? Does the insurance include dental?

[kani-lehua]

Originally Posted by Brenmatsten

So does this mean that if you are head of household and work full time that you can get coverage for your whole family or do you have to pay separately for that? Does the insurance include dental?

hawai'i employers must provide health insurance for full time employees. it depends on the employer's plan on the amount the employee may/may not have to contribute to the premium for the employee's self and or family. also, dental and vision coverages depends on the employer's plan.

[cynmkolohe]

Two quick notes:

I know someone with a catastrophic plan through HMSA (Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Hawaii)...the cost is $94.25 per month for a non-smoker. Note that the enrollment process was not what I would call simple. They asked for, and verified, a lot of information.

You can get health insc. throught the University of Hawaii--at least I did a several years ago when I was living on Oahu and taking classes. The rate then was $80/month. I'm sure it has increased since. Here's the link: University Health Services Manoa (broken link)

[Brenmatsten]

Thank you all for this information. I really love this forum and all the regulars and nonregulars who post here. It helps those of us who have questions to be able to put our minds at ease. Many blessings to you all!