Category: Programs & Services

  • AARP: Long-Term Care Awareness

    AARP Hawai’i’s Top Legislative Priority in 2013 In a state with a high cost of living — where one in five residents will be 65 or older by 2032 — island residents are worried about paying for long-term care. In Hawai‘i, costs range from $17,500 for one year of adult day care to about $126,000 for private nursing home…

  • Insecure? Secure It . . . Online

    Question: I’m doing more things online, including shopping and paying bills. What are some things I can do at www.socialsecurity.gov? Answer: Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to take a look at your Social Security Statement, which allows you to check your earnings record and get an estimate of your future benefits.…

  • AARP: Voter Resources

    Straight Talk: Social Security & Medicare How long will Hawai‘i residents be able to work as they age? How much should seniors pay for health care? What will future retirees need, and what as a nation can we afford? These are some of the issues at stake this election season as the future of Social…

  • Kokua Council

    The Kokua Council is one of Hawai‘i’s oldest advocacy groups. Kokua Council empowers seniors and other concerned citizens to be effective advocates in shaping the future and well-being of our community. The Council encourages those needing help in advocating for themselves. Kokua Council embraces diversity and extends a special invitation to any senior or intergenerational-minded…

  • Understanding Medicare & Medicaid

    Navigating the health care system can be challenging, but for more than 9 million people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, it can be especially difficult. Medicare and Medicaid have similar names but they are very different programs. People who are eligible for both — known as dual eligible — must understand the…

  • Don’t Fall Behind!

    It is that magical time of the year. The pumpkins are at the open markets, the air is a bit cooler and it’s time for your Medicare Check-Up. You don’t need to see your doctor for this checkup, just sit down and reflect back on the past year. Questions to ask yourself: Have my medical…

  • Social Security Goes for the Gold!

    Millions of Americans are following the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. And just months before, Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, announced that in less than two months’ time, 1 million people have gone online, created a My Social Security account and viewed their Social Security Statement. If there was an Olympics for…

  • Medicare: What’s What and Who Pays For It?

    We at Sage PLUS Program/Hawaii SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) often get calls on our hotline from individuals who are confused about “who pays for what,” especially when it comes to care facilities (nursing homes, care homes, assisted living facilities and foster family homes). Let’s take a look at each care facility option, and…

  • What is The Office of The Ombudsman?

    The Ombudsman is an officer of the legislature who investigates complaints about actions of executive branch agencies of the state and county governments. Our office has the power to obtain necessary information for an investigation and to recommend corrective action if a complaint is found to be substantiated. The Ombudsman serves as a neutral, independent…

  • Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan

    In March of 2010, Congress passed and President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act — the new health insurance law. The law creates a new program — the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan — to make health insurance available to you if you have been denied coverage by private insurance companies due to of a pre-existing condition. If you’ve been locked out…

  • Good Health and Living

    Hawaiian Seniors live long with good food, song and dance Ke Ola Pono No Na Kupuna Program (KOPP), meaning “good health and living for elders” is one of many projects operating within ALU LIKE Inc., a state-wide non-profit agency that helps Native Hawaiians achieve their potential for themselves, families and communities. KOPP enriches the lives…

  • Ready to Retire?

    Tools to help you decide when’s the right time for you These days, everyone is taking a new look at their finances — and no one is looking more closely than the millions of baby boomers who are nearing retirement age. While some boomers expected to retire at one of the traditional milestones, such as age 62,…