The Hawaii Health Connector (the Connector), Hawaii’s health insurance exchange, will provide a unique opportunity for the people of Hawaii to link to health insurance coverage options through a "one-stop" shopping experience.

The ultimate goal is to improve access to affordable health care coverage.

The Connector will serve as an electronic "super highway" where consumers and small businesses can efficiently and carefully consider the health benefits and choices available to them.

Through this one-stop Web portal, you, as a consumer, can submit a single query and learn if your income potentially qualifies you for Medicaid; whether you are eligible for premium subsidies to purchase health insurance, and be guided through a marketplace to choose a health plan.

How does a health plan qualify to sell coverage on the exchange?

Utilizing the federal guidelines, the state Insurance Commissioner is responsible for determining which health insurance plans meet the requirements to participate on the exchange. It is a regulatory function that remains under the oversight of the State.

A navigator program, defined in the federal health reform law, can help with this shopping experience. Navigators across the state will be available to assist individuals and small businesses to "navigate" the decision-making that is required to purchase health insurance or seek qualification for Medicaid.

They will also assist individuals who need help to access the website. Special outreach will be made to Native Hawaiian communities.

The Connector Web marketplace is scheduled to go live on Jan. 1, 2014. Our goal is to establish a state-based health insurance exchange, which requires us to meet specific milestones by Jan. 1, 2013.

We want our exchange to be of-Hawaii-for-Hawaii, one that takes into account our unique culture and works with our state’s Prepaid Health Care Act, an employer mandate for health insurance coverage in effect since 1974.

The Legislature established the Hawaii Health Connector as a private, non-profit organization, but it is recognized as quasi-governmental by federal authorities. Some other states have taken similar tracks: Colorado’s exchange is a non-profit, unincorporated, quasi-public entity, while others are similarly identified as quasi-governmental.

Several states have pending legislation to establish health insurance exchanges. The federal health reform law — the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, enabled a state to establish an insurance exchange.

The 2011 state Legislature passed Act 205, defining the governance structure of Hawaii’s exchange.

The final federal insurance exchange regulations that were published two weeks ago mandate that we address governance principles that include ethics, conflict of interest, accountability and transparency standards and disclosure of financial interest.

Therefore, the Connector is overseen by the Legislature and is governed by both federal and state law and regulations.

The Connector incorporated in August 2011. I was hired as executive director in December to work with the board, state leaders, the health care industry and the community to craft the Connector as a health insurance exchange that will truly work for Hawaii’s people.

The Connector is a start-up organization—that means that even as we work to meet federal milestones, we are moving as quickly as possible to get fully staffed, set up our office, and to maintain frequent communication with our stakeholders.

As a health care clinician, I understand that change, particularly to something as personal as health care coverage, brings anxiety. This is compounded by the national debate surrounding health care issues.

The Connector intends to regularly engage the public, inform you of our progress, and work to build your confidence in us.