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Hawaii Health Connector, the nonprofit setting up an online health insurance marketplace as part of Obamacare, said Friday it awarded a $12 million customer service contract to Virginia-based Maximus Health Services Inc.
The mainland company will be responsible for management of the Connector’s customer service center and will hire 25 workers in Hawaii to staff the center, according to a news release.
The $12 million will fund the center through 2017.
"Awarding this contract is another key milestone for the Connector and increases our momentum for October’s open enrollment," said Coral Andrews, Hawaii Health Connector’s executive director. "Ensuring quality customer service and community outreach to Hawaii residents remain priorities for Connector staff."
In addition to telephone assistance, the service center staff will be available by email, postal mail, Web chat and fax. The center will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, starting in mid-September.
To date, Hawaii has received about $205 million in federal grants to support the building and running of the Connector.
The Maximus contract is the third to be awarded by the Connector.
The Connector gave a four-year, $53 million contract to CGI Group Inc., also based in Virginia, to build the Connector’s online marketplace.
It also awarded a $1.2 million contract to Honolulu-based Milici Valenti Ng Pack Inc. for market research, communication strategy and public relations.
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