Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 10, 1 October 1998 — A native Hawaiian heakh system [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A native Hawaiian heakh system

ALOHA MAI e nā pua mōhala i ka lā e pi'i a'e ana mai ka moku o Keawe a kau loa aku i ka 'āina 'o Ni'ihau o Kahelelani. In this issue of Ka Wai Ola o OHA, I would like to discuss OHA's direction on Hawaiian heahh relat-

ed issues and offer my hopes on the role OHA ean play in this area. There are many very important issues that eome before me in my capacity as an OHA trustee, but none is more important to me than the issue of Hawaiian heahh, especially the health of our kūpuna. Oneofmygoals as an OHA trustee is to set up a heahh program that would address the health needs of our kūpuna. Currently, OHA has no program that would address individual medical relief

for Native Hawanans. The heahh of our people is enieial to the survival of our eulture and heritage; The heahh of our kūpuna is of the utmost importance. Ourkūpuna hold the keys to the mysteries of who we are. Without them, we have no base, no roots from whieh to grow. I believe that OHA has a duty to participate in the perpetuation of the heahh of our people. Here are some of the visions that I have in regard to this issue. I would like to see OHA establish a group insurance program for Native Hawaiians. As a result of the rising cost of medical care, more and more Hawaiians are finding it difficult to afford medical care. Even our kūpuna are faced with the dilemma of the rising cost of

Medicare coverage. It would be beneficial for OHA and its beneficiaries if OHA would develop its own insurance plan and benefits: a plan that would cover drug costs, physician's bills and other related costs, and one that would address the special needs of

Native Hawaiians. Incorporation of Native Hawaiian medical practitioners could be devel- | oped into such a plan. OHA could establish a partnership with Queen's { Medical Center, a hospital that was fbunded by I Hawaiians for the pur- | pose of saving the lives of Native Hawaiians. OHA eouhi fbrmulate the needs of the beneficiaries, especially the needs of our kūpuna, and I set up plans with Queens, HMSA, and Kaiser. Theseplans

would cover medical, dental, and eye care costs. This scenario would give our beneficiaries the opportunity to choose whieh plan would suit eaeh individual best. OHA receives a tremendous amount of calls from beneficiaries that are health related. Many beneficiaries seek assistance on an individual basis for various medical reasons. Unfortunately, OHA has no individual medical relief for our beneficiaries. I support the proposition that OHA should move forward in this area to develop a program dealing with Native Hawaiian health; A Native Hawaiian health system that would benefit our beneficiaries for generation to eome. E ola mau kākou i ka nani kamaha'o o nēia 'āina! ■

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