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MEDIA RELEASE U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) released the following information during the months of February and March: SENATE PASSES BILL TO IMPROVE CHILD CARE Schatz voted to pass the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, legislation that will help provide funds for education and child care to low-income families. “In far […]

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MEDIA RELEASE As part of the Obama administration’s work to make the health care system more affordable and accountable, data are being released that show significant variation across the country and within communities in what hospitals charge for common inpatient services. The report was posted on the federal government website managed by the Centers for […]

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MEDIA RELEASE The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced the Kaiser Permanente Medicare plan in Hawaii earned five stars, the highest overall rating for quality and service for 2013 plans. This makes the Kaiser Permanente Medicare plan the only 5-star plan in the state for the second year in a row. Hawaii is […]

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MEDIA RELEASE The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have approved Hawaii’s request to reduce the eligibility income limit for its QUEST-ACE and QUEST-Net programs to 133 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), or $16,678 per year for a single adult. Currently, the state Department of Human Services (DHS) Med-QUEST Division (MQD) administers […]

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MEDIA RELEASE The state Department of Human Services (DHS) has posted for public comment a draft proposal for a demonstration project that would integrate healthcare services for clients enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid. Approximately 27,000 individuals in Hawaii are enrolled in the programs concurrently. Clients enrolled in both programs currently receive Medicaid-covered services through […]

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MEDIA RELEASE According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 21,278 Hawaii residents with Medicare saved $6,891,558 on their prescription drugs in 2011 thanks to the Affordable Care Act Savings for people with Medicare will increase over time. According to a new report issued today from HHS, the average person with […]

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MEDIA RELEASE The 2012 Annual Election Period to choose a Medicare health plan ended Dec. 7, but eligible seniors have another opportunity to join a high-quality Medicare Advantage plan. For the first time ever, the U.S. government’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will allow Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan […]

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MEDIA RELEASE Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has announced its Medicare plan received an overall rating of 5 stars for parts C and D, the highest rating from The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2012. Through the Medicare Star Quality Rating System, CMS assigns scores of one to five stars to Medicare plans based […]

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MEDIA RELEASE U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka voted to oppose the budget authored by Representative Paul D. Ryan (R-Wisconsin) and passed by the House of Representatives. It was defeated Wednesday in the Senate by a vote of 40-57. “This budget would be devastating to our nation’s most vulnerable citizens – seniors,” Akaka said. “Our kupuna […]

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The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP Hawai‘i), a program in the State Executive Office on Aging, is alerting residents to scams that may try to profit off the federal government’s $250 rebate to Medicare Part D enrollees that reach the coverage gap in 2010.

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Social Security today launched a new campaign to inform millions of Americans about a new law that makes it easier to qualify for extra help with Medicare prescription drug costs. The extra help program currently provides assistance to more than nine million senior and disabled Americans — saving them an average of almost $4,000 a […]

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MEDIA RELEASE “Medical care for all” is the focus of a public rally set for Wednesday, Aug. 26 at Hilo’s Mooheau Park Bandstand. An ad hoc committee of concerned citizens is asking those who want single-payer, universal healthcare to turn out 5-7 p.m. to sign petitions to be presented to Hawaii’s Congressional delegation before Congress […]

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MEDIA RELEASE/PRWEB Medicaid, a cornerstone of the U.S. healthcare infrastructure, should be maintained, strengthened and integrated with other components of the health care system as part of health reform, according to a new research report by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. “If the goals of health reform are to be met, Medicaid […]

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