Authorized Representative for Med-QUEST Medicare Savings in Hawaii

Why You Need the State Form

A general power of attorney — even a durable one — does not automatically give you authority to manage your parent's Med-QUEST case. Med-QUEST recognizes DHS 1127, Appointment of Authorized Representative, for a designated representative's authority to submit applications, receive notices, and manage case matters.

This catches families off guard, especially adult children on the mainland who already hold POA and assume they can call Med-QUEST and handle everything by phone. A general POA alone does not automatically authorize Med-QUEST to disclose case information or accept submissions from you as the representative.

What DHS 1127 Authorizes

Filing DHS 1127 designates you as the authorized representative for all Med-QUEST interactions. You can:

• Submit applications (DHS 1100 and DHS 1100B) on behalf of your parent
• Receive copies of all official notices, including eligibility determinations, renewal requests, and termination letters
• Provide documentation and respond to verification requests
• Represent your parent at fair hearings if a denial or termination is appealed

Complete DHS 1127 according to its signature instructions. If your parent is legally incapacitated, follow Med-QUEST's instructions for documenting the authority that permits a representative to act.

How to File It

Submit DHS 1127 alongside the initial MSP application (DHS 1100 and DHS 1100B) so authority is established from the start. If you are filing after the application was already submitted, fax or mail the form to the Med-QUEST eligibility office handling the case and call 1-800-316-8005 to confirm it was linked to the correct case number.

For mainland-based adult children, timing matters. Med-QUEST's renewal notices (Form N-14) carry a 30-day response deadline. If the notices go only to your parent's Hawaii address and your parent does not open them promptly, you may not learn about the renewal until the deadline has passed. With DHS 1127 on file, you can request that copies of all notices be mailed to your mainland address as well.

POA Versus DHS 1127

A durable power of attorney is useful for other aspects of your parent's affairs — managing bank accounts, signing contracts, handling tax documents. But Med-QUEST operates under its own administrative rules (Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 17) and recognizes DHS 1127 as the specific instrument for program interactions.

SSA Representative Payee status — where you manage your parent's Social Security payments — also does not transfer to Med-QUEST. It is a separate federal designation that governs Social Security benefits only.

Filing both a POA and DHS 1127 gives you coverage across the financial and health benefit sides of your parent's affairs. They serve different purposes and are not interchangeable.

Our Hawaii Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide includes instructions for establishing authorized representative status, a walkthrough of the DHS 1127 form, and a communication log template for tracking interactions with Med-QUEST caseworkers — especially useful when managing a case from the mainland across time zones.

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