News Release
October 16, 2008
HMSA to continue Keiki Care Plan for uninsured kids
Cliff Cisco
(808) 948-5481
cliff_cisco@hmsa.com
The Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) today announced it will continue to
provide the HMSA Keiki Care Plan at no cost to parents through the end of the year.
HMSA and the state had been sharing the cost of the plan’s monthly dues since
April 2008. Yesterday, the state notified HMSA it was withdrawing its funding for
the plan, effective Nov. 1.
"We’re disappointed in the state’s decision, but we feel we have
an obligation to the children and their families," said HMSA Senior Vice President
Cliff Cisco. "Parents with children currently enrolled in the HMSA Keiki Care
Plan can rest assured that we will continue the plan without changes at least through
the end of the year."
HMSA will be meeting with its community board of directors next week to discuss
the issue and seek recommendations on the future of the plan. "If there are
going to be changes to the plan for 2009, we will share that information with parents
and the public as soon as we can," said Cisco.
There are currently 2,000 children enrolled in the HMSA Keiki Care Plan, a plan
that was created for children in Hawaii who had no health coverage for six months
or more and were ineligible for any other state or federal health program. HMSA
has been funding the plan with money from the HMSA reserve, not member and employer
dues.
HMSA is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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