Health Care

A federal judge in Hawaiʻi has ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration violated the law by imposing restrictions on a medication used for abortions and miscarriage management.

People who get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act may face higher costs soon; The San Francisco Standard reports on billionaire Marc Benioff's ties to Hawaiʻi

People who get their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will be shopping for new policies on Nov. 1 — and the price tag will likely be much higher. HPR’s Ashley Mizuo reports on the impacts on Hawaiʻi residents.

Last year, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and the Center for Reproductive Rights represented midwives who brought a lawsuit against the state. The parties settled the case last week.

The official strike notice, sent last week by Unite Here! Local 5 and Hawaii Nurses and Healthcare Professionals, said that workers in the continental U.S. make up to 30% more than workers in Hawaiʻi, adding that unsafe staffing ratios put patients’ health at risk.

Unite Here! Local 5 and Hawaii Nurse and Healthcare Professionals (HNHP), which represent the workers, delivered their official 10-day strike notice. It is scheduled to start Oct. 14 at 6:30 a.m. and continue through Oct. 19.

When Hilo attorney Ted Hong filed a complaint against the Hawaii Medical Service Association years ago, he likened it to David and Goliath — HMSA is the largest health insurer in the state. HPR talked to Hong about a recent ruling.

A strike can take place after Wednesday, when the workers' contracts end. The union members are demanding improved staffing and better wages.

The state is planning how it will spend hundreds of millions of dollars from a new federal Rural Health Transformation Program, and it wants public input. The funds can be used on different initiatives like improving technology, boosting the health care workforce and increasing preventative care.

Attorney Ted Hong discusses a recent ruling in his lawsuit against HMSA; Hawaiʻi State Auditor Les Kondo talks about the launch of an AI-generated podcast