Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Monday, April 8, 2013
Feds Give Hawaii Health Connector $128M to Pay for Overhead
By News Release @ 10:59 AM :: 5388 Views :: Health Care

Hawaii Health Connector Awarded $128 million in Level 2 Federal Funding

News Release from Hawaii Health Connector, April 8, 2013

The Hawaii Health Connector (Connector) announced today that it has received a $128,086,634.00 Level 2 multi-year funded grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This award will fund the customer service call center, consumer assistance program and general maintenance and operations of the Connector through December 2014. In March, the Connector announced requests for proposals for both the call center and printing and mailing services in preparation for the October 1, 2013 go live date. To date, Hawaii has received approximately $205 million dollars in federal grant money to support the build and implementation of the Connector. The Connector is currently 100 percent federally funded through December 2014.

“This federal grant will help to inform the people of Hawaii about the Hawaii Health Connector and how it will provide greater access to health care coverage,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “The Connector continues to be an important part of the community’s efforts to transform healthcare in our state.”

"Implementing President Obama’s Affordable Care Act in our state will continue to be a top priority,” said Senator Brian Schatz. “Last month marked three years since this important law was enacted, and we’ve already seen thousands of people across the country receive access to affordable care and preventative services.  This funding is critical for a call center and consumer assistance program that will help Hawaii families make important choices about the care they receive.”

"Today’s funding announcement for Hawaii Health Connector is great news for Hawaii families and our economy,” said Senator Mazie K. Hirono. “I was proud to join President Obama in his fight to make health care more affordable for all families, and the Hawaii Health Connector is a key step in lowering the health care costs for families here in the islands.”

“The strength of this federal grant is that it reaches all residents in Hawaii,” said Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa. “The consumer assistance program will help individuals and small business owners compare and navigate their health insurance choices. I'm especially grateful that we're helping Hawaii's many small businesses, and that this cornerstone of our economy will have access to quality health care.”

“The $128 million awarded to Hawaii Health Connector today, shows Hawaii is prepared and taking the lead nationally,” said Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. “Ensuring access and availability to health care throughout our state, especially for those in our underserved communities, will help them obtain the quality care they deserve.”

"The funding will help to address the unmet needs of the uninsured throughout the State." State Senator Rosalyn Baker said.  "The Hawaii Health Connector is to be congratulated in developing leading edge, public-private partnership and interagency collaboration models which can be applied in the future."

“The Hawaii Health Connector is of Hawaii, for Hawaii. Our board and staff are diligently working to make sure the Connector is built to provide better access to health care coverage to everyone in our state,” said Hardy Spoehr, Hawaii Health Connector’s board chair. “We believe this funding will provide greater opportunities for the public to learn about health insurance options, tax credits and subsidies available through the Connector.”

“The Connector remains focused on our mission to provide a state based health insurance exchange that is committed to supporting the unique needs of our community,” said Coral Andrews, executive director for the Hawaii Health Connector. “Along with our federal and state partners, we are working to enhance, empower and improve lives throughout the state by making health insurance accessible to all.”

About the Hawaii Health Connector

The Hawaii Health Connector is the online health insurance exchange for Hawaii. The Connector was established as a non-profit organization in 2011 by the Hawaii State Legislature through Act 205, in order to comply with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010. The Connector’s aim is an online marketplace that is of Hawaii-for-Hawaii, one that takes into account the State’s unique culture and works with the Prepaid Health Care Act, an employer mandate for health insurance coverage in effect since 1974. For more information, visit www.hawaiihealthconnector.com.

###

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT