Tag: moving to hawaii

How To Get the Healthcare You Need in Hawaii: 3 Tips to Consider Before You Move

Posted on by Judy
blue and silver stetoscope
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Do you require frequent medical visits, specialists, and accessible treatment options? Before moving to Hawaii it is helpful to know your options and prepare for what’s covered by your insurance, what requires inter-Island travel, and alternative healthcare options.

Medical facilities and insurance coverage can be limited depending on where you live and waiting times vary depending on what care you need. There is a doctor shortage on the Big Island, and in Hawaii generally, and when it comes to specialist care (dermatologist, podiatrist, rheumatologist, neurologist, Mohs surgeon, etc.) it is common to drive long distances, fly to Oahu for care that’s covered by insurance, or to pay cash for services on the Big Island. 

Why Pay “Out-Of-Pocket”?

While cash pay sounds scary, so is paying a high insurance premium that doesn’t cover services you need. With rising insurance premiums, consider progressive ways healthcare clinics provide efficient and quality care with cash pay models. So, where do you start? 

First, know that there are wonderful traveling nurses, doctors, physician assistants, and specialists on the Island that provide excellent care. Some offer partial insurance reimbursement plans, yearly membership benefits, and virtual visits.

Some residents opt-out of traditional insurance and use catastrophic insurance with high deductibles and pay cash for specialized care. If you need traditional insurance coverage, start looking online here to check your options based on income.

Last Things to Consider

Do you require frequent checkups? Dental care, specialized visits, and will you live closer to Waimea, Kona, Waikoloa, or Hilo? Look into clinics nearby and what insurance or plans they take. In Hilo, one of my personal favorites is Mahinakealo Dermatology (because when you live in Hawaii, you need a Dermatology clinic). Marne Carmichael Walsh PA-C provides the most detailed and patient-focused care in the Hilo community. While Mahinakealo Dermatology offers reasonable cash pay options and reimbursements now, the office will take HMSA, HMAA, and UHA at the start of 2021. 

In Kona, Elite Smiles Dental has a discount program for individuals and families with a small yearly fee. In Waimea, Iris Integrative Health has successfully created an affordable subscription healthcare model clinic utilizing western and naturopathic medicine. 

There are three main hospitals in Hawaii: North Hawaii Community Hospital Queens Medical Center in Waimea, the Kona Community Hospital down South, and The Hilo Medical Center on the Eastside of the Island. Urgent care clinics are also commonly used for quick care and family medicine concerns. 

There are many factors involved, so be prepared to make shifts as you consider life on the Big Island. Many local residents are happy with the healthcare quality on Island, but it is best to know your options and avoid the frustration of having insurance that not all offices take because it is “out of network.” So, is there a clinic or doctor you go to on the Big Island? There are many more to mention, so be sure to share in the comments. 

Contact me Here to learn more about available listings and information about life on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Hawaii is paradise because of its people and the Hawaiian culture!

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The Hawaiian People and Their Culture Make Hawaii a Unique Paradise

Updated April 2026. Originally published 2019.

When I wrote this post in 2019, the peaceful gathering at the base of Mauna Kea had just captured the world’s attention. Thousands of kia’i — protectors — stood together to defend a sacred mountain, demonstrating a unity and cultural strength that moved people around the world. In my nearly 60 years on this island, I had never seen anything quite like it.

Seven years later, the TMT controversy continues. No construction has resumed, and management of the mountaintop is being transferred to a new oversight authority that includes representatives of both astronomical observatories and Native Hawaiian communities. The National Science Foundation dropped support for the TMT in June 2025 in favor of a different telescope project in Chile, putting the TMT’s future in serious doubt. The protectors have not wavered, and the legal victories they have won along the way speak to the strength and resilience of a people who know their rights and their history. Civil Beat

What the Mauna Kea movement showed the world — and reminded those of us who live here — is something that has always been true: the Hawaiian people and their culture are extraordinary.

A Culture That Has Endured

In the past, aspects of Hawaiian culture were commercialized and trivialized. The result was a distorted image of Hawaii that did a disservice to the people, the land, and the history. The Mauna Kea movement helped set the record straight for a global audience.

This is not a theme park. This is a place of extraordinary natural bounty and deep cultural significance. The land, the people, and the culture here deserve to be treated with the utmost respect.

The fact that the Hawaiian people thrived on these islands for centuries — managing complex agricultural systems, navigating vast stretches of open ocean, developing a rich oral tradition, language, and spiritual practice — speaks to remarkable ingenuity and adaptability. The fact that their language was banned in the late 1800s and is now not only surviving but thriving, taught in immersion schools and spoken by a new generation, speaks to a resilience that is genuinely inspiring. It is also worth acknowledging, particularly for those considering making Hawaii their home, that Hawaii’s inclusion in the United States was the result of an unlawful overthrow of a legitimate government in 1893 — driven by greed and racism dressed up as sanctimonious good intentions. This history matters. The strength and resilience of the Hawaiian people today is all the more remarkable in light of it.

What This Means for Those Moving Here

If you are considering moving to Hawaii — or even visiting — understanding and respecting the culture is not optional. It is essential.

Come with an open heart and a genuine willingness to learn. Treat the people you meet with kindness and respect, and most will repay you with the aloha these islands are known for. Many people who move here say that while the place is beautiful, it is ultimately the people they fall in love with. I hear this again and again, and I agree.

In Waimea specifically, Hawaiian culture is woven into everyday life — in the Hawaiian language charter school Kanu O Ka Aina, in the work of the Paniolo Preservation Society, in the ranching traditions that stretch back generations. Coming here with curiosity and respect for that history will enrich your experience immeasurably.

A Few Practical Notes

Finding places to stay while you explore has become more challenging since Hawaii County tightened vacation rental regulations, but bed and breakfasts remain available. The State of Hawaii maintains a helpful newcomers guide at ehawaii.gov for those considering a move.

And if you want to understand a little more about what life here is like — the beauty and the challenges — read my post on What You Need to Know Before Moving to the Big Island.

Judy S. Howard, Esq. is a Realtor Broker with COMPASS in Waimea, Hawaii, and a licensed Hawaii attorney with over 30 years of experience. She can be reached at judy@livinginwaimea.com or 808-885-5588.

Moving to Hawaii. Will I be disappointed?

Posted on by Judy
Waipio Valley camp fire. Photo by Sarah Anderson

What If I Don’t Love Living in Hawaii?

It’s a fair question — and an important one. Moving to Hawaii is expensive, logistically complex, and life-changing. Not everyone is happy here, and you owe it to yourself to do everything possible to make sure it’s the right move before you commit.

Visit Multiple Times and Stay as Long as You Can

Come more than once. Stay in different areas. The Big Island alone has dramatic differences between regions — Waimea’s cool ranch country feels nothing like Kona’s sunny leeward coast, which feels nothing like Hilo’s lush rainy east side. What suits one person perfectly drives another person away.

Finding places to stay has become more challenging since Hawaii County tightened vacation rental regulations in residential neighborhoods, but bed and breakfasts are still available and longer term rentals can sometimes be arranged. The investment of time and money to truly experience an area before buying there is always worth it.

The People May Surprise You

I hear this again and again from people who move here: it’s not just the place they fall in love with — it’s the people. Come with an open heart and treat the people you meet with genuine kindness and respect, and most will repay you with the aloha these islands are known for.

Do Your Research

Your realtor is a valuable source of information about what life here is really like day to day — not just the real estate transaction. The State of Hawaii also maintains a helpful newcomers guide.

And if you want the unvarnished truth about what to expect — healthcare, schools, cost of living, insurance, and more — read my longer post: What You Need to Know Before Moving to the Big Island.

Judy S. Howard, Esq. is a Realtor Broker with COMPASS in Waimea, Hawaii, and a licensed Hawaii attorney with over 30 years of experience. She can be reached at judy@livinginwaimea.com or 808-885-5588.