HONOLULU – The Hawaii State Department of Health’s (DOH) annual Stop Flu at School program begins today and will continue in more than 300 public, private, and charter schools statewide through Nov. 25. This is the ninth year for the voluntary program, which administers free flu vaccinations to Hawaii students, kindergarten through eighth grade, enrolled at participating schools.

(HONOLULU) – As a follow up to Friday’s court decision invalidating the emergency rule prohibiting overnight presence along the upper Mauna Kea road corridor, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) reminds people that camping in forest reserves and public hunting areas without a permit remains illegal under Hawaii Administrative Rules.

Additional rules pertaining to activities on Mauna Kea and in all State of Hawaii Forest Reserves and public hunting areas include:

• Using motor vehicles without due caution for the rights or safety of others or in a manner that endangers any person or property.
• Camping or residing or any construction, improvement or occupancy or use of any structure within a forest reserve without a written permit from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
• Damage or disturbance of any property of improvement.
• Disorderly conduct, which creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which is not performed under any authorized license or permit.

In Natural Area Reserves on Mauna Kea and elsewhere, Hawaii Administrative Rules prohibit the removal, damage or disturbance of any geological or paleontologic features or substances.

The DLNR will continue to enforce these regulations.

A young Moloka’i man has died after accidentally shooting himself Monday. Maui Police say 24 year-old Marianito Alavazo Jr.,  accidently shot himself with a gun on Kulawai Loop, in Kaluakoi.

The incident happened at 3:57 p.m. Monday. Molokai emergency personnel responded to the scene, located on the west side of the island.

Alavazo was treated at the scene by Maui Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services personnel before being transported to the Molokai Airport where he was flown to the Maui Memorial Medical Center in Critical Condition. MPD says Alavazo was in the company of two friends, both Molokai residents, at the time of the shooting. Molokai Police did recover the gun that was involved in this incident.

At 1:23 p.m., Tuesday, the young man was pronounced dead at the Maui Memorial Medical Center. Alavazo was from Maunaloa, Molokai.

Molokai Police are continuing with their investigation into this case which has been classified as a Miscellaneous Accident.

Hawaii – The Hawai’i Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened nominations for the prestigious SBA Small Business Awards for 2016.  The annual SBA Small Business Awards continue to be the most competitive, comprehensive and visible awards presented to small businesses in the state.

With a record of recognizing excellence in small business for more than three decades, past SBA winners have included outstanding small companies such as Island Naturals Market, PacRim Marketing, Green Point Nurseries,  Hoaloha Na Eha dba Old Lahaina Luau, Big Island Candies, Maui Brewing, and many others.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced their tsunami detection and warning systems legislation unanimously passed the Senate. The bill reauthorizes and enhances tsunami preparedness and increases investment in research to protect coastal communities.

TSUNAMI – Earlier and more reliable detection of tsunamis to Hawaii would cetrainly save lives and property. Click to enlarge. (Phto Courtesy PBS.org)

HONOLULU – The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division released final decisions for 2016 Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual and small group health insurance rates. Under the so-called ObamaCare affordable plan, the state’s two top insurers are increasing rates by an average of more than 30 percent.

Rate changes approved for 2016 vary by plan type. Final approved rate filings can be found at http://cca.hawaii.gov/ins/2016-aca-individual-and-small-group-filing. These rates are expected to affect approximately 34,000 individuals currently purchasing health insurance on their own through the ACA marketplace. Small group rates apply to plans for businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees.

Hawaii Medical Services Association small group members will see premiums rise by 27.3 percent under the Affordable Care Act. ObamaCare clients of Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii will see their individual premiums rise 34.4 percent in 2016.

“We were extremely concerned by the requested increases by insurers for 2016 ACA individual plans,” said State Insurance Commissioner Gordon Ito. “Nobody likes to see prices go up for the individual consumer. However, upon close review of the carriers’ expenses, benefits paid, and other considerations our rate analysts and actuaries found premium increases were necessary for the carriers to cover their costs, enabling them to continue to pay their customers’ claims.”

Hawaii law mandates that insurance rates cannot be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory. A news release today from the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said, “In the case of ACA individual plans, the 2015 rates were inadequate and needed to be adjusted significantly in 2016.”

The Hawaii Insurance Division found several reasons for the 2016 rate increases. These factors were “pent up demand” for services sought by previously uninsured individuals, transitional plans and previously low penalties for ignoring ACA’s individual mandate keeping healthy populations out of the marketplace, high cost specialty drugs, and ACA taxes and fees.

A 2015 report by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shows average Hawaii health premiums for individual ACA plans are among the lowest nationwide. At an average cost of $289.64, before marketplace tax credits or subsidies, Hawaii was the 45th state in terms of average monthly premiums. By contrast, average monthly premiums in the most expensive state to purchase health insurance in were $522.73.

Individuals and small businesses are encouraged to review and understand the offered ACA plans and to check their eligibility for premium tax credits prior to the open enrollment for individuals on Nov. 1, 2015.