Thousands of years before western settlement, the Hawaiian people had a tradition of caring for one another as ohana.

They developed an approach to health and healing that is not only in use today, but also has been adopted in part by our modern society.

It is in that tradition that we at the Hawaii Health Connector are building an institution to deliver better access to health care for all of us.

This is its second full year of operation. From now until Feb. 15, residents of our state who do not have employer or government coverage can use the Hawaii Health Connector to enroll in low-cost, comprehensive health insurance, for their medical, pharmaceutical, dental and other needs.

While many of us already benefit from government or employer-sponsored health insurance under the provisions of Hawaii’s unique Prepaid Healthcare Act, there still are large numbers of our ohana that do not, or cannot, afford it on their own.

The Connector provides access to low-cost coverage for both individuals and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

Qualifying individuals can get direct premium assistance to reduce their monthly premiums by up to 90 percent each and every year that they qualify.

Likewise, qualifying small businesses can get a tax subsidy of up to 50 percent of their costs for two years. These benefits could add up to nearly half a billion dollars in direct federal investment in Hawaii over the next decade.

Taken together with the benefits we already enjoy under Hawaii’s Prepaid Healthcare Act, and Medicare and Medicaid, our community can bring preventive, curative and affordable medicine to all of our residents. That’s why I believe the Connector is one of the most important resources developed in and for our community in modern times.

The Connector was costly to build; it is designed, however, to last for years and is already serving more than 10,000 of our residents.

In addition, more than 40,000 people have been added to KOLEA, Hawaii’s Medicaid system, and, over the next 10 years, we believe we will help many more thousands gain access to Hawaii’s high-quality medicine.

Through the Connector, we can make certain that a single mom with a part-time job can live a normal life with her kids because she doesn’t have to choose between getting check-ups and paying the rent. We can deliver quality prenatal care so that our keiki are born healthy and can live normal lives.

Both the federal marketplace and the Connector got off to a tough start last year.

There are still some issues this year that we are working diligently to fix.

I apologize to the people of Hawaii for the problems that they experienced.

We at the Connector have a responsibility to help all the members of our ohana gain access the health care they deserve, and I am committed to making that happen.

It’s why we are making sure that our customers understand their access to the Connector is not just through a website.

We have dedicated people at our call centers to talk with our customers and assist them with the process of enrolling.

We have also partnered with 31 organizations and kokua in communities throughout Hawaii to help people one-on-one.

We are committed to helping everyone — regardless of the language they speak, their ability to use computers or their physical abilities.