Black Health

Hawaii Medicaid

Med-QUEST

Expansion adopted (2014) 12-month postpartum

Med-QUEST covers pregnant women up to 196% of the federal poverty line — roughly $50,610 annual income for a family of three in 2025. The state adopted Medicaid expansion in 2014. Apply at https://medical.mybenefits.hawaii.gov/ or call 1-800-316-8005.

On maternal health specifically: Med-QUEST has extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months (effective 2023-04-01), and does not cover doula services through Medicaid.

Hawaii uses a unique 2-person FPL baseline because federal guidelines set higher income thresholds for the islands; the state's children-6-to-18 cap is effectively 313% of the contiguous-48 FPL. The 2023 maternal-health package (Act 266) directed Med-QUEST to study doula benefit implementation.

Key facts at a glance

  • Pregnant women eligible up to 196% FPL ($50,610 for a family of three in 2025).
  • Children 0-5 eligible up to 313% FPL ($80,820 for a family of three).
  • Expansion adults eligible up to 138% FPL ($35,630 for a family of three).
  • Postpartum Medicaid extended to 12 months (effective 2023-04-01).

For Black families

Roughly 3,800 Black residents are enrolled in Med-QUEST, per the most recent CMS T-MSIS analytic file. The number understates true eligibility: every state has Black eligibles who aren't currently enrolled, usually because of the administrative-churn rates that rose sharply during the 2023 unwinding.

Hawaii uses a unique 2-person FPL baseline because federal guidelines set higher income thresholds for the islands; the state's children-6-to-18 cap is effectively 313% of the contiguous-48 FPL. The 2023 maternal-health package (Act 266) directed Med-QUEST to study doula benefit implementation.

For enrollment help: look for your state's Navigator program (federally funded under the ACA), a Federally Qualified Health Center in your county (every FQHC has certified application counselors on staff), or one of the named community organizations below. Our FQHC directory filters to this state at /clinics/hi/.

Data sources

Data refreshed: