Hawaii
Medicare help in Hawaii
Free, unbiased counseling, help paying premiums and drug costs, how to check an agent before you talk to one, and the Hawaii rules that affect your Medigap choices.
Free counseling
Hawaii SHIP
Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program (Hawaii SHIP) is Hawaii's State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Trained counselors answer Medicare questions, compare plans with you and help you apply for savings programs, at no cost. They don't sell insurance.
Help paying for Medicare in Hawaii
If your income and savings are limited, these programs can lower your premiums and drug costs. Many people who qualify never apply.
Medicare Savings Programs
Med-QUEST, Hawaii's Medicaid program, runs Hawaii's Medicare Savings Programs. They pay your Part B premium, and the fullest one (QMB) also pays Part A premiums, deductibles and copays. You don't need to qualify for full Medicaid.
Hawaii's limits are higher than in most states because Hawaii has its own federal poverty guidelines. In 2026: up to $1,530 a month single or $2,075 married for full help (QMB), and up to $2,066 single or $2,801 married for help with the Part B premium (QI), with savings up to $9,950 single or $14,910 married.
Extra Help with drug costs
Extra Help is a federal program, run by Social Security, that lowers Part D premiums, deductibles and copays. Income and resource limits are higher in Hawaii than in most states. If you get a Medicare Savings Program, Medicaid or SSI, you get Extra Help automatically. Apply with Social Security.
Hawaii drug assistance program
Medicare.gov lists no general state drug assistance program for people with Medicare in Hawaii. Start with Extra Help; Hawaii's free SHIP counselors can help you apply.
Sources: Medicaid.gov state contacts, Hawaii's own Medicaid pages and Medicare.gov's state program list, checked October 27, 2026. Limits change every year; confirm with Med-QUEST before you apply. How Extra Help and savings programs work.
Check an agent's license in Hawaii
The Hawaii Insurance Division, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) licenses insurance agents in Hawaii. Before you share personal information, look the agent up by name or National Producer Number (NPN) and make sure their license is active and includes health insurance.
Medigap rules in Hawaii
Switching plans later
Hawaii has no yearly switching window. After your first 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, insurers can ask health questions before selling you a different policy, unless you have a federal guaranteed issue right. How switching works.
If you're under 65
Insurers in Hawaii must offer Medigap to people under 65 who have Medicare. Plans and prices can be limited. More on Medigap under 65.
Source: NAIC state Medigap chart, May 11, 2026. Confirm with the Hawaii Insurance Division, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) before changing coverage.
Dates that apply everywhere
- October 15 to December 7: Open Enrollment, when you can change Medicare Advantage and drug plans. All enrollment periods
- January 1 to March 31: people in Medicare Advantage can switch plans or go back to Original Medicare once.
- Around your 65th birthday: your 7-month window to sign up. Turning 65
Common questions in Hawaii
Where can I get free Medicare help in Hawaii?
Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program (Hawaii SHIP) is Hawaii's State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Its counselors help with Medicare questions for free and don't sell insurance. Call 1-888-875-9229.
How do I check a Medicare agent's license in Hawaii?
The Hawaii Insurance Division, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) licenses insurance agents. Use its license lookup to search by the agent's name or National Producer Number (NPN), or call 1-844-808-3222.
How do I get help paying Medicare premiums in Hawaii?
Apply for a Medicare Savings Program through Med-QUEST (1-800-316-8005). These programs pay your Part B premium, and sometimes your deductibles and copays. Hawaii's limits are higher than in most states because Hawaii has its own federal poverty guidelines. In 2026: up to $1,530 a month single or $2,075 married for full help (QMB), and up to $2,066 single or $2,801 married for help with the Part B premium (QI), with savings up to $9,950 single or $14,910 married. Hawaii's free SHIP counselors (1-888-875-9229) can help you apply.
Does Hawaii help pay for prescriptions?
Medicare.gov lists no general state drug assistance program for people with Medicare in Hawaii. Extra Help, a federal program run by Social Security, lowers Part D premiums and copays for people with limited income, and Hawaii's free SHIP counselors (1-888-875-9229) can check whether you qualify.
Does Hawaii have a Medigap birthday rule?
Not as of the NAIC's May 11, 2026 chart. Outside your first 6-month Medigap window and federal guaranteed issue rights, insurers in Hawaii can ask health questions before selling you a different policy.
Can I buy Medigap under 65 in Hawaii?
Insurers in Hawaii must offer Medigap to people under 65 who have Medicare. Plans and prices can be limited.
State contacts checked against official Hawaii sites on October 26, 2026. General information, not advice about a specific plan. How we check facts.