Hawaii health insurance questions, answered.
Answers from licensed agents about buying your own coverage in Hawaii, organized by topic.
Getting started
Don’t see your situation? Ask a licensed agent or call (888) 214-4898.
Hawaii uses the federal Marketplace, so you apply through HealthCare.gov. Two insurers, HMSA and Kaiser Permanente, sell individual and family plans there for 2026.
Open enrollment runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Pick a plan by December 15, 2026 if you want coverage to start January 1.
Two things happened at once. The extra federal subsidies expired at the end of 2025, and HMSA and Kaiser raised their 2026 rates by about 10% to 13% before subsidies.
Leaving a job
Don’t see your situation? Ask a licensed agent or call (888) 214-4898.
Hawaii's rule is limited to illness. If you are hospitalized or too sick to work, your employer must keep your coverage going for at least three months. It does not apply when you quit or are laid off, so federal COBRA or a Marketplace plan is the usual choice then.
Losing job-based coverage gives you a special enrollment period, generally 60 days, to choose a Marketplace plan. Apply soon to avoid a gap.
Possibly. Adults 19 to 64 can qualify with household income up to 138% of the poverty level, about $2,112 a month for one person in 2026. You can apply any time of year.
Early retirement
Don’t see your situation? Ask a licensed agent or call (888) 214-4898.
It depends on your income for the year. With the enhanced credits gone, households above 400% of the poverty level generally get no help, while those below it may still qualify.
Yes, if your household income is at or below 138% of the poverty level and you meet other rules. Starting January 1, 2027, most expansion adults must show work or similar activity unless exempt, and renew every six months.
KFF lists the 2026 statewide average benchmark Silver premium for a 40-year-old in Hawaii at $541 a month before subsidies. Older buyers pay more, and your actual cost depends on your plan and any subsidy.
Self-employed
Don’t see your situation? Ask a licensed agent or call (888) 214-4898.
No. The law requires employers to cover employees who work at least 20 hours a week. If you work for yourself, you buy your own plan or apply for Med-QUEST.
Starting with 2026 coverage, you generally have to repay the full extra subsidy when you file taxes. Update your income with the Marketplace during the year if it changes.
No. Hawaii does not have its own individual coverage mandate or tax penalty.
Short-term plans
Don’t see your situation? Ask a licensed agent or call (888) 214-4898.
In practice, no. State law caps these plans at under 91 days and bars sales to anyone who could have bought a Marketplace plan the year before, so insurers have stopped selling them.
No. The federal government paused enforcement of its four-month limit in August 2025, but Hawaii's stricter law still applies.
Use your special enrollment period to buy a Marketplace plan, or apply for Med-QUEST if your income is low. If you take a job with 20 or more hours a week, your employer will generally have to cover you after four weeks.
Non-ACA options
Don’t see your situation? Ask a licensed agent or call (888) 214-4898.
They operate here, but they are not insurance. A ministry does not guarantee payment and often limits pre-existing conditions.
For most people, no. It pays fixed cash amounts for certain events, not your actual bills, so a hospital stay could leave you owing much more.
Insurers
Don’t see your situation? Ask a licensed agent or call (888) 214-4898.
HMSA and Kaiser Permanente (Kaiser Foundation Health Plan) are the only two. HMSA has the larger individual membership.
Before subsidies, HMSA's approved 2026 increase averaged about 12.8% and Kaiser's about 10.4%. Your own change depends on your plan, age and subsidy.
HMSA has said its Catastrophic plan will be discontinued at the end of 2026. If you have it now, plan to choose a new plan during open enrollment.
Sources
Reviewed October 2026. Rules and prices change every year; a licensed agent will confirm what applies to you.
- Hawaii health insurance marketplace guide (healthinsurance.org, updated September 2026)
- HealthCare.gov: Dates and deadlines
- KFF: Recent changes to Marketplace premium subsidies (updated January 14, 2026)
- KFF Health System Tracker: Impact of enhanced premium tax credit expiration on 2026 premiums
- Medicaid in Hawaii: who qualifies and income limits for 2026 (summary of Med-QUEST sources)
- KFF: An early look at policy decisions as states get ready to implement work requirements
- Hawaii Revised Statutes §393-15
- Hawaii DLIR Disability Compensation Division: About Prepaid Health Care
- HMSA: Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act
- Hawaii Revised Statutes §431:10A-605 (short-term, limited-duration health insurance)
- Short-term health insurance in Hawaii (healthinsurance.org)
- CMS: Statement regarding short-term limited duration insurance
- ACASignups: Hawaii 2026 rate changes
- ACASignups: Hawaii 2027 rate changes
- KFF: Average Marketplace premiums by metal tier
See what you'd actually pay.
A licensed agent will compare plans from every insurer in your Hawaii county, check your subsidy, and walk you through the options. No cost, no obligation.