Hawaiʻi Patients
Med-QUEST and Mental Health: What Hawaiʻi Patients Should Know
Med-QUEST covers telehealth psychiatric services in Hawaiʻi — including evaluation, diagnosis, and medication management.
Med-QUEST covers telehealth psychiatric services in Hawaiʻi — including evaluation, diagnosis, and medication management.
Med-QUEST is Hawaiʻi’s Medicaid managed care program. It provides health coverage — including mental health and psychiatric services — to qualifying Hawaiʻi residents based on income, household size, age, disability status, and other eligibility factors. The two primary managed care organizations currently serving Med-QUEST members are HMSA and AlohaCare.
Coverage specifics — including copays, prior authorization requirements, and which providers are in-network — vary by MCO and plan. It is always worth confirming your specific coverage before scheduling a new provider.
“Telehealth has meaningfully expanded psychiatric access in Hawaiʻi — particularly for patients on neighbor islands, where in-person psychiatric providers have historically been limited.”
Patients no longer need to travel to O’ahu or a major population center to see a psychiatric provider. HIPAA-compliant video visits are covered and widely available. This has been particularly meaningful for patients on Maui, Kaua’i, Hawaiʻi Island, Moloka’i, and Lāna’i, where access to outpatient psychiatric providers has historically been limited. A telehealth visit requires only a device with a camera and a stable internet connection.
Med-QUEST eligibility is based primarily on income relative to the federal poverty level, as well as categorical eligibility (age, pregnancy, disability, family status). The fastest way to check is through the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services KOLEA online portal, or by calling the Med-QUEST division directly. Many people who could benefit from Med-QUEST coverage are not enrolled.
The MindCounsel accepts Med-QUEST coverage for Hawaiʻi patients, including both HMSA and AlohaCare plans. If you are unsure whether your specific plan is covered, you are welcome to send a message before scheduling.
Med-QUEST coverage accepted. Schedule through the SimplePractice patient portal.