The 2018 session of the Hawaii Legislature recently concluded after enacting six insurance-related measures. Each of the bills have been sent to the governor for signature. 

    Health insurance was the subject of four new measures:

    HB1520: The bill prohibits an insurer from renewing or re-enrolling an individual in a short term, limited duration health insurance policy if the individual was ellgible to purchase health insurance through the federal health insurance marketplace. Further, short-term, limited duration health insurance is subject to the same provisions of the insurance code currently applicable to limited benefit health insurance.

    HB 2145: This bill allows the synchronization of medications for insureds. Plans offered by health insurers, mutual benefit societies and health maintenance organizations that provide prescription drug benefits are required to apply prorated daily cost-sharing rates for prescriptions dispensed by network pharmacies for less than a thirty-day supply.

    SB 208: The legislation addresses unclaimed life insurance benefits. It adopts the National Conference of Insurance Legislators' Model Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act, which requires life insurers to conduct database searches using the Social Security Administration's' death master file or similar database to determine whether an insured has died. Good faith efforts are required to locate any beneficiaries to a policy.

    SB 2340: This bill ensures certain benefits under the Affordable Care Act are preserved under Hawaii law, including: extending dependent coverage for adult children up to 26 years of age; prohibiting health insurance entities from imposing a preexisting condition exclusion; and prohibiting health insurance entities from using an individual's gender to determine premiums or contributions.

     One new bill relates to motor vehicles insurance.:

    HB 1876: A motor vehicle insurer can comply with the statutory requirement of having a sales and claims office in the state by establishing and maintaining an office staffed the insurer's licensed producer in each county where the insurer does business   

     A final bill addressed producer licensing requirements:

    HB 1624: The bill delays the implementation of the producer licensing requirements amended by the legislature in 2017 until 2020.