Please see below for a press release and supporting documents issued today by the Hawai'i Department of Human Services regarding healthcare coverage for green card holders and residents present under the Compacts of Free Association.  

While an extended analysis is pending, please take note of the following highlights:

1.  Pregnant women and children under 19 will continue to be eligible for state-administered Medicaid healthcare benefits (no effect on these individuals).

2.  The Governor has signed emergency Med-QUEST rules that will continue current coverage for QUEST-eligible COFA citizens until February 2015.   Click here to review the rules.

3.  "Aged, Blind or Disabled" COFA citizens should continue to receive the benefits they receive currently.  COFA citizens who are Aged, Blind or Disabled who wish to start receiving state healthcare benefits commensurate with federally-funded Medicaid services may apply for such benefits as long as the emergency rules are in effect.

4.  Non-pregnant adult COFA citizens who are not "Aged, Blind or Disabled" will retain their current coverage so long as the emergency rules are in effect.  In the meantime, their information will be sent to the Hawai'i Healthcare Connector to determine their eligibility for federal tax credits which may subsidize health insurance costs.  The state may also provide temporary, emergency "premium assistance" for certain qualified health plans obtained through the Connector.

5.  Sometime BEFORE the expiration of the emergency rules (120 days from November 5, 2014, i.e. February 2015), new rules will be issued for a "premium assistance program" regarding healthcare coverage for COFA citizens.  PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WILL BE ALLOWED PURSUANT TO PUBLIC NOTICE -- STAY TUNED!  

Documents released by the Department of Human Services:
Public Notice of Emergency Rules
DHS Press Release
Background on COFA

JACL-Honolulu issued the following press release in response to statements made by the Charles Djou campaign regarding homelessness and the "Micronesian government." Singling out the Micronesian community in such a way only promotes stereotypes and prejudice around an issue that impacts all communities regardless of ethnicity. We hope Mr. Djou will apologize and rethink how he plans to address this issue of homelessness in our state.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Japanese American Citizens League – Honolulu Chapter Condemns Race Baiting from Djou Campaign

Honolulu – The Honolulu Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) strongly objects to a statement made by Charles Djou’s congressional campaign in an advertisement published in the Star Advertiser on November 2, 2014, entitled ‘Charles Djou’s 30 Day Action Plan’ wherein he states that one action he would take is to “Meet with the Micronesian government to address the rising homeless population in Hawai’i.”

Mr. Djou’s proposed action infers an unfounded, blatantly prejudiced, and highly simplistic assumption that members of the Micronesian community are disproportionately responsible for, or are themselves homeless.

From the Hawai'i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice:

"On November 3, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court denied plaintiffs' petition for certiorari in Korab v. Fink. Although the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the case, the litigation on the matter is continuing. Because the State has yet to provide adequate assurances that cuts to critical health care benefits targeting COFA residents will not be implemented, we intend to continue our challenge on this life-or-death issue." Click here for more

From Civil Beat:

“Why should the court take this? The answer is very simple,” attorney Paul Alston told Civil Beat at the time. “People are going to die if they implement Basic Health Hawaii. This is not something that we can simply ignore.”

In 2010, the state designed BHH specifically for migrants from Micronesia. Basic Health Hawaii is a form of health coverage that limits the days of inpatient hospital care, outpatient visits and prescriptions. The plan also does not cover organ transplants or surgeries like heart surgery, and it covers dialysis only as an emergency service.

The plaintiffs in Korab v. McManaman argue that BHH is inadequate for the needs of Micronesians. Many suffer from cancer, diabetes and reproductive abnormalities that have been linked to the effects of U.S. nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands from 1946 to 1958.

On Monday, however, the high court rejected the plaintiffs’ appeal inKorab, leaving intact a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in favor of the state. That decision found the state was not required to provide state-funded medical assistance benefits to noncitizens after the federal Medicaid program excluded them." Click here for more

From Governor Neil Abercrombie, Attorney General David A. Louie and DHS Director Patricia McManaman:

"According to Director McManaman, 'The state’s plan going forward includes a program that provides Medicaid-like coverage to our neediest aged, blind, and disabled noncitizens. Coverage for children and pregnant adults will remain unchanged. The plan also includes a transition period for other non-pregnant adult noncitizens to obtain health insurance through the Hawaii Health Connector, and a state-funded program to help these very low-income noncitizens pay their share of their health insurance premiums. This ensures that needy noncitizens who are ineligible for Medicaid still have access to quality, affordable health insurance.'"  Click here for more