History

1930s

In 1935, a group of Hawaii social workers began to create a nonprofit, member-focused association governed by a community board of directors.
The Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) established headquarters on Oahu.
With 671 members, HMSA began service on June 1, 1938.

HMSA introduced the Major Medical Plan to help protect members against the cost of catastrophic illness.
By 1958, HMSA had 155,000 members.

HMSA developed health plans for senior citizens, college students and the unemployed.
Drug, dental and vision plans, along with preventive benefits, were introduced.
By 1968, HMSA’s membership reached 350,000.

Hawaii’s cost of living skyrocketed, led by increasing costs of medical care.
HMSA introduced the Community Health Program, our first HMO, in 1972.
Nearly all employers required to provide health insurance to full-time employees through the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act of 1974.
By 1978, HMSA had 500,000 members, more than half of the state’s population.

In 1980, Health Plan Hawaii was certified as a federally qualified HMO.
New plans and programs included:
- 65C Plus, the nation’s first federally certified Competitive Medical Plan (1986).
- Flexible Spending Service (1987).
- HMSA Dental Network, an HMO dental plan (1988).
- ERISA Reporting Service to help employers comply with government regulations (1989).
By 1988, HMSA had nearly 558,000 members.

HMSA joined the Blue Cross Association and became the Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) plan of Hawaii in 1990.
In 1994, HMSA began contracting with Hawaii QUEST, a state program with medical, dental and behavioral health benefits for Medicaid or State Health Insurance Program recipients.
One of its top plans in the country, HMSA earned the BCBS Association’s Brand Excellence Award in 1995.
By 1998, HMSA had 600,000 members.
In 1999, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) awarded Health Plan Hawaii with “excellent” accreditation status, the highest HMO accreditation possible.

HMSA plans and programs continue to receive NCQA accreditation.
In 2001, HMSA’s Diabetes Care Connection received the Health Plan Disease Management Leadership Award from the Disease Management Association of America.
HMSA’s HealthPass received the C. Everett Koop National Health Award in 2002.
In 2006, the HMSA Initiative for Innovation and Quality (HI-IQ) committed $50 million to support electronic medical record systems for physicians and quality improvements for hospitals.
New plans and programs included:
- The HMSA Children’s Plan, affordable coverage for uninsured children (2000).
- Individual, two-party and family plans for students at participating universities 2003 & 2004).
- CompMED and Catastrophic Care Plan, lower-cost plans for employer groups and individuals (2004).