Hawaiʻi medicaid applications soar amid widespread job losses

But Beth Giesting, the director of the Hawaiʻi Budget & Policy Center, thinks more costs to the state could be inevitable.

“Even though the federal government has temporarily increased the match they are providing, it is a far cry from what the state needs at a time like this,” Giesting said.

Petersen noted that application volume depends on how long the pandemic lasts, when the next wave comes and how long people are out of work — something no one really knows.

“Given the unprecedented nature of what we’re dealing with, we’re not making predictions,” she said.

For those who aren’t eligible for Med-QUEST, there are other options, but they’re more expensive.

One way for people to extend their employer-covered health insurance is through COBRA, a federal law that allows employees to extend their health insurance after leaving a job.

The last time Fong was unemployed, he paid more than $1,000 for just one month of health insurance through COBRA.

Nichols from Med-QUEST recommends people apply for public health insurance first.

“Usually when people are losing their jobs it’s the kind they can least afford. If I was talking to my aunty, I would be like, ‘Oh no no no,’ COBRA is the last thing you want to look at.”

Furthermore, COBRA is not always an option for those who work at small businesses, says Giesting.

Many small companies in Hawaii with less than 20 employees are not required to provide COBRA, “and they almost never do,” she said.

The other option is to buy health insurance on the federal marketplace created through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. There are subsidies available for people who can’t afford premiums, but Giesting notes the plans can still be out of reach financially.

“The problem of course is that the Affordable Care Act plans are a far cry from what people have been used to with their employer coverage, and it certainly is inferior and more expensive to the Medicaid program,” she said.