As of this month, Hawaii’s small business market will provide healthcare to its workers that competes with (and even beats) what the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has provided for Americans.
Hawaii’s Prepaid Health Care Act came into effect in 1974 and provides employees who work more than 20 hour per week with healthcare, along with covering most of their monthly premiums. The Department of Health and Human Services has granted Hawaii a State Innovation Waiver under the ACA, where small local businesses can now be included under the Prepaid Health Care Act.
Additionally, these small businesses can participate in the Act’s Premium Supplementation Program, which assists eligible businesses in covering premiums, previously provided through the ACA SHOP’s tax credits. This waiver will remain in effect from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2021.
