The Hawaii Health Connector, the government-funded organization responsible for implementing "Obama­care" in Hawaii, plans to open a call center today with 25 multilingual employees to answer questions about the new health insurance program.

The call center is meant to help individuals and small businesses sign up for coverage when open enrollment begins for the state-based health insurance exchange on Oct. 1, as mandated by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The first major piece of President Barack Obama’s health reform law requires all Americans to secure health insurance coverage or face tax penalties beginning Jan. 1.

The Hawaii Health Connector aims to help residents find coverage best suited to their needs, as well as subsidies for which they may be eligible.

The Connector will launch a website Oct. 1 for residents to compare policies and enroll in the plans they select.

Those who prefer not to use the website can enroll through the call center.

The call center, in the Hawaiian Telcom building downtown, will assist callers in English, Hawaiian, Cantonese, Chuuk­ese, Ilo­cano, Japa­nese, Korean, Marshallese, Taga­log and Vietnamese.

Interpretive services for the hearing- and speech-impaired are also available. The center will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and will also accept inquiries through mail, email, Web chat and fax.

Prior to the start of open enrollment, Connector representatives will answer general questions about new options for health coverage, tax credits and subsidies, how to sign up and what information callers need to provide come Oct. 1.

The center can also set up appointments for callers to meet face to face with so-called marketplace assisters who will walk them through the enrollment process and help them apply for subsidies and tax credits.