Our impact in Hawaii

In this section

Public policy

Learn more by visiting our Institute for Health Policy.

Get updates on our public policy perspectives

Kaiser Permanente has served Hawaii for 65 years. We currently provide care to 265,951 members throughout the state. We’re the state’s second-largest health plan.

We offer a wide variety of coverage options for small group, large group, and individual and family health insurance markets.

We serve our members using a unique business model that combines health coverage and care delivery into one coordinated experience.

Key issues

Kaiser Permanente operates 5 clinics on Maui. These clinics provide care for more than 68,000 members and support the health of everyone who lives in Maui.

In August 2023, Maui experienced a series of devastating wildfires. The town of Lahaina was particularly hard-hit. The fires destroyed almost 3,000 structures across Maui, including the Kaiser Permanente Lahaina Clinic.

Kaiser Permanente and Maui Health doctors, nurses, other clinicians, and staff worked throughout this terrible disaster. They delivered care, service, and comfort to all who needed it.

They treated people who had burns, smoke inhalation, and other fire-related injuries. And, they focused on assessing vulnerable patient populations. Their efforts were crucial in meeting the community’s health care needs throughout the emergency.

After the immediate emergency passed, Kaiser Permanente staff at the Lahaina Clinic relocated to community-based sites or other facilities.

Our Maui-based teams, with support from colleagues around the state, are continuing to provide mental health and medical care in local shelters, checking on home health patients, and delivering needed medications and supplies to members and nonmembers.

Our communities are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and related conditions. At Kaiser Permanente, we believe the mind can’t be treated separately from the body. So, we consider mental health in our total health approach.

We support mental health policies that:

Reinvent outdated models of care
Support and rebuild a stressed and strained workforce
Invest in preventive services and evidence-based care innovations

We’re concerned about the burden high drug prices impose on our members and society.

We provide our members with safe, high-quality medications at a strong value for their dollar. We do this by:

Prescribing based on evidence
Negotiating drug prices
Using generics and biosimilars
Tracking safety and outcomes

As a health plan, provider, and pharmacy in one, we have a unique perspective on the prescription drug marketplace. Our experience informs an array of policy positions designed to make prescription drugs more effective, safer, and more affordable.

Tobacco is a leading cause of preventable death and disease in Hawaii. Every year, Hawaii residents pay over $500 million for smoking-related health care costs.

Reducing tobacco use is critical to improving the health of our communities. This is why we advocate for policies that prevent people from starting to use tobacco products and help people who are already addicted quit.

Banning the sale of flavored tobacco is particularly important. Flavors make tobacco products seem less harsh and often make them appeal to young people. We continue to support removing all flavored tobacco products from the market, including products used with electronic cigarettes.

By banning flavored tobacco, we can give all young people a chance to grow up free from nicotine addiction.

Our impact

Our goal is to champion good health in Hawaii — for our members and everyone who lives and works in our community.

Through partnerships with community groups, schools, and government organizations, we work to improve access to health care, influence public policy, and develop programs that promote healthy living.

Learn how we’re investing in communities across Hawaii in the following publication: Improving Hawaii’s Health — August 2023 (PDF)

Our care

Kaiser Permanente’s model combines care and coverage. Our approach allows us to provide coordinated care that supports total health.

Our model ensures our members receive high-quality care, leading to better outcomes. This is why we’re among the highest-ranked health plans in the state.

223

World-class Kaiser Permanente doctors were named Top Doctors and Rising Stars by Castle Connolly in 2023.

Best hospitals

Our Moanalua Medical Center received the 2024 Women’s Choice Award® as one of America’s best hospitals for cancer care, obstetrics, and stroke care.

Best in maternity

Our Moanalua Medical Center earned a spot on Newsweek’s 2023 Best Maternity Hospitals list for excellence in maternity care.

Highly rated Medicare plans

Our Medicare health plan consistently receives high ratings for quality. For 2024, the plan received 4 out of 5 stars for quality from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Strengthening Hawaii together

Join us in shaping a healthier future for Hawaii.

At Kaiser Permanente, our dedicated care, comprehensive services, and community partnerships are designed to empower our members and strengthen communities.

Together, we can achieve lasting health and wellness across the state.