Health care (Hilo: 2015, home, transfer)

[Amadrid]

On the advise of one of the readers that suggested starting a new thread for healthcare...how is healthcare on the Big Island? I'm a veteran but my partner has Kaiser but will likely lose that coverage. Also I have a brother that is currently covered under a state run program in Oregon because he is unable to work. The cost in minimal and sometimes he can't always get in to see a doctor right away. Is there something similar there?

[hotzcatz]

There is a Kaiser here, but it may not share records with the Kaiser there for some strange reason. You could inquire and ask the Hawaii Kaiser about transferring records and such.

The did build a Veteran's clinic(?), I'm not sure if it's a clinic or a hospital, but it's a Veterans something-er-other medical facility and it's in Hilo.

Not sure about the state run programs, most folks I know get their health care through their employers.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

There is a Kaiser here, but it may not share records with the Kaiser there for some strange reason. You could inquire and ask the Hawaii Kaiser about transferring records and such.

I've personally not been a big Kaiser fan since I like choice (although HMSA seems to shooting themselves in the foot also) - but one of the strengths of Kaiser is a completed integrated computer system - Kaiser Hawaii can access seamlessly the Kaiser mainland records.

[Rain Monkey]

Presuming your partner is or will not be employed (not have employer provided healthcare coverage) while in Hawaii, he/she might want to contact the Federal Healthcare Marketplace to determine their eligibility and requirements for enrolling in single person healthcare coverage when moving to Hawaii. I believe the state of Hawaii had its own state run marketplace system until 2014-2015, however I seem to recall the Federal Marketplace now provides coverage options.

With regard to your VA healthcare coverage, living on the BI you might be eligible for the Veterans Choice Program. The Veteran Choice Program allows you to utilize healthcare provider outside the VA system. I recommend you contact the VA as soon as reasonably possible to check your eligibility. Funding for the Veterans Choice Programs is suppose to end by year's end 2017 or before in the event Congress does not authorize additional operating funds for program. Find out if you are eligible. I can't speak for the BI, but up until 2014, we here on Oahu had some of the worst wait times in the entire VA system.

Good Luck to both of you.

[hotzcatz]

Far as I know, unless they've changed in the past five years, Kaiser mainland doesn't share records with Kaiser Hawaii. But, that was five years or so ago, maybe they've integrated their databases by now? You'd think they would have by now. But, try ask just to make sure.

I like Kaiser since we can email the doctor and not have to pay any fees. Otherwise it's fifteen dollars or so every time we go see the doctor.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

I like Kaiser since we can email the doctor and not have to pay any fees. Otherwise it's fifteen dollars or so every time we go see the doctor.

Email them for what purpose? 15 dollars is cheap!

[67Cam]

Kaiser has been discussed on this forum not long ago. I have Kaiser and have worked (as a vendor) at every Kaiser in NorCal. You can see my comments at post #21 at the attached link.

I can look at all of my medical records, lab tests, etc on line at will. I've emailed my doctor and found the experience to be very good. As a matter of fact I suspect I have sleep apnea, so I called the general number yesterday, was transferred to a nurse who asked some questions then got a call back today for an appointment at the sleep center next week.

But that's just my experience with Northern Cal Kaiser. If you read my post in the link below, you'll see NorCal and SoCal Kaiser are not exactly the same. I don't know which, if either, Hawaii Kaiser is associated with.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/hawai...te-hmsa-3.html

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

Email them for what purpose? 15 dollars is cheap!

When I just have a simple question, it is SO much easier to email my Kaiser doctor from the comfort of my home than to drive to the nearest clinic (which in my case is over 50 miles) and wait for a half hour to see my doctor. Altho $15 is cheap, my time and the gas is not!

[Rain Monkey]

Originally Posted by Rain Monkey

With regard to your VA healthcare coverage, living on the BI you might be eligible for the Veterans Choice Program. The Veteran Choice Program allows you to utilize healthcare provider outside the VA system. I recommend you contact the VA as soon as reasonably possible to check your eligibility. Funding for the Veterans Choice Programs is suppose to end by year's end 2017 or before in the event Congress does not authorize additional operating funds for program. Find out if you are eligible. I can't speak for the BI, but up until 2014, we here on Oahu had some of the worst wait times in the entire VA system.

Amadrid, just an add on here. My recommendation to investigate your eligibility in the Veterans Choice Program in light of its funding ending at this year's end is that we don't entirely know what will happen to the program. Congress could continue to fund it; grandfather it with enough funding to cover current enrollees for a period of time; cancel funding altogether or create any other combination of scenarios.
I don't think anyone knows what is going to happen at this time. I guess my point is, make sure to cover your six by enrolling if eligible.

[steiconi]

Kaiser Hawaii is separate from Northern and Southern Cal Kaisers. We were required to apply as new patients instead of transferring our membership. We also had to request our records be sent, they weren't automatically transferred. That was 12 years ago, and things may have changed.

Kaiser on Oahu is really good, with a nice hospital and several specialty clinics.

Kona Clinic gets lots of good specialists who come once a week or once a month.

Hilo Clinic, not so much. For some specialists that used to come to Hilo, they now want you to drive to Kona, and if you don't like the specialists they send here, you have to pay your own way to Kona or Oahu.

Hilo Clinic used to be open half a day on Saturdays, now they're just M-F. I don't know about Kona hours; some clinics on Oahu have Saturday hours, others don't.

For many procedures, including colonoscopies and CT scans, BI members have to fly to Oahu.

There are lots of non-Kaiser doctors, too, both through HMSA and independent. The Hilo Hospital has a CT scanner and the GI clinic can do colonoscopies right here in town.

Hawaii Family Health is building a new clinic that will offer many services and can host visiting specialists.