Medicaid coverage expands for Hawai‘i families

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has approved expanded Medicaid and Medicare services to Hawai‘i families.

Under this change, children in Hawai‘i can stay covered by Hawai‘i’s Medicaid program, QUEST, without interruptions, as follows:

• Children under age 6 will have continuous coverage until their sixth birthday.
• Children ages 6 to 19 will receive coverage for two years at a time.

This means families won’t have to reapply as often, reducing paperwork and making it easier to focus on what matters most: their children’s health and well-being, officials stated in a press release from the state Department of Human Services.

“More than 50% of our keiki in Hawaiʻi receive access to healthcare through Medicaid,” said Ryan Yamane, director of the Department of Human Services. “This new policy ensures they’ll have access to essential health services without disruptions.”

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. The release states that these changes reflect a strong commitment to ensuring that every child in our state has access to the care they need to thrive.

According to the release, studies show that Medicaid coverage provides long-term benefits for children, including better health, improved school performance and greater success in adulthood. This program also strengthens communities and reduces strain on families by simplifying enrollment and minimizing gaps in care.

For more details on this approval and how it helps Hawai‘i families, visit Medicaid.gov.

To apply for QUEST (Medicaid) coverage for your children in Hawai‘i, click here.