Know your rights as a patient in Hawaii. From surprise billing protections to financial assistance programs, here's what the law says about your medical bills.
Based on CMS cost report data from 19 hospitals in Hawaii.
Hawaii hospitals charge an average of 2.2× their actual costs. The average hospital stay is billed at $165,000, while the actual cost is $75,000. Compare prices at specific hospitals →
The federal No Surprises Act protects all Hawaii patients, regardless of state laws:
HB 1936 — Surprise Billing Protections (2021) — Hawaii HB 1936 (2021) protects patients from surprise out-of-network medical bills, complementing the federal No Surprises Act.
If you receive a surprise out-of-network bill, you are not responsible for the balance beyond what you'd pay for in-network care. Contact your insurer and reference the HB 1936 — Surprise Billing Protections (2021) to dispute any balance bill.
Under Federal 501(r) & Hawaii Medicaid (Med-QUEST), hospitals in Hawaii must provide financial assistance to qualifying patients.
Income threshold: Varies by hospital (Med-QUEST covers up to 138% FPL)
Hawaii has a 6-year statute of limitations on written contracts. Medical debt falls under this limit. After 6 years, creditors cannot sue to collect.
After 6 years, creditors cannot sue you to collect medical debt in Hawaii. The clock starts from the date of your last payment or acknowledgment of the debt.
Beyond surprise billing and financial assistance, federal and state law provide these important protections.
Uninsured or self-pay patients can request a good faith estimate of charges before receiving care. If the final bill exceeds the estimate by $400 or more, you can dispute it through the federal process.
You have the right to an itemized bill showing each charge. Review it carefully — billing errors are found in up to 80% of hospital bills according to industry estimates.
Since 2021, all hospitals must publish their standard charges and negotiated rates online. Use Taven's price comparison tool to see how Hawaii hospitals compare.
Hospitals must offer reasonable payment plans before pursuing collections. Ask about interest-free options and negotiate monthly payment amounts based on your income.
Hawaii has a 6-year statute of limitations on medical debt (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1(1)). After 6 years from the date of last payment, creditors cannot sue you to collect.
Yes. HB 1936 (2021) and the federal No Surprises Act protect Hawaii patients from surprise out-of-network bills for emergency services and at in-network facilities.
Hawaii's Prepaid Health Care Act (1974) is the oldest employer health insurance mandate in the U.S. It requires employers to provide health insurance to employees working 20+ hours per week, giving Hawaii one of the lowest uninsured rates nationally.
Yes, after a court judgment. Hawaii allows garnishment of up to 25% of disposable earnings or the amount exceeding 40 times the minimum wage.
Contact the Hawaii Insurance Division at 808-586-2790 for insurance complaints. For billing fraud, contact the Hawaii Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection.
If a hospital or insurance company is violating your rights, you can file a formal complaint.
For insurance-related complaints: claim denials, balance billing, network issues.
📞 1-808-586-2790
File a complaint →For deceptive billing practices, fraud, or consumer protection violations.
File a complaint →Compare prices at 19 hospitals across Hawaii. Click any hospital to see their procedure prices and negotiated rates.
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