Our move to Maui-info for those who are planning to move (dermatologists, to rent)

[Homeinspectorboise]

Originally Posted by Ebanks

Is this a joke? Have you ever seen or experienced third world healthcare?

No, I'm not a comedian. I truly feel this way and after spending 15 years in Hawaii with a wife and 2 kids I definitely had medical issues come up. Hawaii is great for the 20 something transplant that might wake up with a runny noise and returns to the main land within 2 years because they couldn't make a living. It's a different story for someone who actual does need "medical" attention later in life. Flying to other islands and to the main land regularly does not come cheap. Don't get me wrong, I love Hawaii otherwise I would not have lived there so long. I am simply expressing reality for folks who may have medical issues and I would not advise them to move to Hawaii or any island chain that lacks proper care. Yes the weather, beaches and whales are great but if you can't get a needed surgery those things really won't matter.

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by Homeinspectorboise

I am simply expressing reality for folks who may have medical issues and I would not advise them to move to Hawaii or any island chain that lacks proper care. Yes the weather, beaches and whales are great but if you can't get a needed surgery those things really won't matter.

That same warning could be said of moving to a rural area on the mainland that is far from a major medical center/facility. If someone has a medical condition, they need to research where they can live that provides the care they need. Health issues are what drive many older folks (those here in Hawaii as well as on the on the mainland) to move to another area, either to be closer to medical care and/or family that can help with medical transportation, meals, therapy, etc.

[Homeinspectorboise]

Originally Posted by CyberCity

That same warning could be said of moving to a rural area on the mainland that is far from a major medical center/facility. If someone has a medical condition, they need to research where they can live that provides the care they need. Health issues are what drive many older folks (those here in Hawaii as well as on the on the mainland) to move to another area, either to be closer to medical care and/or family that can help with medical transportation, meals, therapy, etc.

I agree 100%. However I am not posting this for the folks in Podunk, Iowa. I was referring to the people who look to Hawaii as if it has everything they need from the brochures they get in the mail. It can be very deceiving once a family actually gets to the island and settles in for "life" and not the "vacation" I have seen and know many families that made the big leap to Hawaii and returned to the main land within years if not months. Medical care is a huge concern for some and not so much for others. We have lived in 15+ states and Mexico and Italy and for us, knowing a reputable medical facility is close to us means more than waking up to the trade winds. Maybe that just means we are getting old!

[CyberCity]

Yes, you have brought to light in this thread another reason that some folks do not find moving to Hawaii a "good fit" for their family: some types of medical care are not easily available. Someone who is moving from a rural area might already have this concern on their radar, but a city-dweller might not have thought of it (ie: limited medical care vs abundant medical resources nearby).

[Homeinspectorboise]

Originally Posted by CyberCity

Yes, you have brought to light in this thread another reason that some folks do not find moving to Hawaii a "good fit" for their family: some types of medical care are not easily available. Someone who is moving from a rural area might already have this concern on their radar, but a city-dweller might not have thought of it (ie: limited medical care vs abundant medical resources nearby).

Exactly. I think as Americans, we sometimes take these things for granted especially for people who live in larger cities and have not traveled that much. Similar to the shock we encountered in Italy when no one served tap water and we had to buy bottled water everyday due to their contaminated water supply. Things like medical can become a huge concern if you move to an area with little or no speciality clinics available. Bottom line is people just need to do their homework before moving anywhere that is considered "remote".

[Jerlene]

Originally Posted by Jungjohann

What 'free' medical.? That's just nonsense. Not a good idea for the misinformed to try and inform the uninformed with the incorrect info. Just a disaster in the making.

Aloha

Misinformed? Pot, meet kettle.

[Leon HI]

Originally Posted by tdr22

Yeah, Hawaii has had medical coverage for all it's population for some time now, one of just a very few that do. Even if a person decides not to be a part of 'the system' this state has had a very good free clinic option in each of it's counties.

This is a state where medical care is available to everyone and yes it is good medical care and yes it really is available to everyone, just like in Europe, Cuba, Mexico, etc. Here in Hawaii the standard is USA (for better or worse) regardless of insurance.

Medical care is Not a downside in Maui, rich, poor, homeless, whatever.

That is completely and utterly BS , I been living on Maui for the last 12 yrs and that statement is completely false.
There is a program called Quest Hawaii which provides health insurance coverage to people who qualify
( single moms , disabled people , low income , children , etc.) but it is NOT for everybody and has a yearly cap on the number of people it covers , so there's usually a fair amount of people that qualifies for it but goes without it. )
The community clinics are not free , it is possible to get assistance there and you won't be turned down if you can't pay , but they don't offer emergency services or surgery , just basic primary care.
And often have to wait for a couple weeks before a doctor will se you.
A different thing is what Hawaii state law mandates , which is that an employer is required to make health coverage available to every employee that works more than 20 hrs a week. Notice available is in bold because they are legally required to offer it , but the employee can opt out ( reason for that can be not wanting to get the premium or part of it deducted from pay check ).

[tdr22]

Yeah, Hawaii is a horrid, horrid place that Only the Verrrry wealthy should ever move to, esp. Maui, just awfull, we're all gonna die from the bad, bad medical care, the overpriced food, housing, you name it, it's all horrid!!!!!

Do Not come to Hawaii, even as a tourist you will die if you get sick, someone once mentioned how we all managed not to jump into the volcano but I don't know how we do it, I'm staying away from the Big Island just in case I get the 'jumping urge' from the horridness of living in Maui!

Yup stay away from Horrid Hawaii folks (unless you're super rich)!

[TwoByFour]

Here is a personal anecdote about local medical care (in Maui, that is).

I have a condition that pops up every few years and needs treatment, and this brought me into a clinic here. The doctor I saw gave me the meds I have taken in the past and was about done with me when I pointed out to her that the medicine has certain risks and maybe we should do some blood work to make sure I am not going to keel over from it. Oh yeah, she said, good idea. I thought hmm, that is a bit sloppy of a doc. Did not really bother me because I try to do my research when seeing a doc, but there is a marked difference between this experience and seeing a doc for the same thing in Seattle. Afterward I tried to view the results of the lab tests on line, using the patient portal they have. But you cannot view any of your records or results on line here, nor can you communicate with your doc through email or messaging. Totally different experience from the clinic in Seattle which has all patient service available on-line.

None of the above is enough to particularly concern me, but I agree that the quality of health care here in Maui is a notch below what you get in a big city. One thing though - I have lived in a rural place in the mainland and the health care I got there was about the same as here in Maui.

[CyberCity]

It is unrealistic to expect the medical services that are available in a rural area are going to compare to the medical services that are available in a large city. For example, the population of Kahului is approx 26,000+. The population of Seattle is approx 616,000+. Yes, the medical care options are going to be different! You can expect many differences between rural (or "small") vs large city: The facilities will be different;The number of specialists will be different; The "in house" lab and radiology will be different;Outpatient services will be different; Choices for 2nd opinion will be different, Etc.

Yes, you will find some "bad" doctors in Hawaii. But you will find many more excellent doctors. Isn't that the same as about anywhere? There are bad doctors and good doctors, in every location in the U.S.

Getting the best available of medical care requires that the patient do some homework to find the right doctor that suits their needs. For major problems, it will very likely require a trip to Oahu, or even the mainland. That does compare to mainland folks I know who travel to major medical centers in different cities or states when they need certain advanced medical care or specialists. One difference in Hawaii is that there is often a substantial cost for airfare/lodging/car rental that you might not need on the mainland, where you can perhaps drive to another major hospital/clinic.

If someone already has a serious medical condition, they should check out the medical care they can get in Hawaii before they move here. It might work out just fine, or they might need to adjust the location/island they choose, or it might not be a setup they want to adjust to. But that is not to say the medical care here is "bad", it is just limited in some circumstances.

The mainland has it's problems too ....even in big cities.... today I went to make a specialist medical appointment for my son who is in a major city on the mainland right now. I called clinics that covered over a dozen doctors. The soonest appointment was 4 weeks out. Guess what, I can get him in to that same medical speciality here in the Big Island within a week or two, certainly within that same 4 week time frame. Sometimes it just takes awhile to get an appointment ... on the mainland and in Hawaii.

It's RURAL LIVING folks on the neighbor islands! Please don't expect it to be otherwise, and don't think bad of it for being what it is. R-U-R-A-L. Don't like rural on the mainland? Then it is likely that you won't like rural here, even with beautiful sunny days, gentle breezes, and warm ocean water.