Hawaii Medicare Savings Program Renewal: What to Do When You Get the Notice

The Renewal Notice Arrives Once a Year

Med-QUEST runs an annual renewal cycle for Medicare Savings Program enrollees. When it can't complete an ex parte renewal, it sends a renewal notice — Form N-14 or DHS 1100B-2 — asking your parent to confirm their current income, assets, and Medicare enrollment status. A response deadline is printed on the form, typically 30 calendar days from the date of the notice.

If Med-QUEST doesn't receive the renewal packet by the deadline, it issues a procedural closure notice terminating coverage.

What the Renewal Form Asks

The DHS 1100B-2 is shorter than the original application. It collects:

• Current gross monthly income (Social Security, pensions, VA benefits, other unearned income)
• Current bank account balances and other countable resources
• Confirmation of Medicare Part A and/or Part B enrollment
• Confirmation of Hawaii residency
• Any changes in living situation (married, divorced, spouse entered a facility)

You'll need a recent Social Security benefit letter and current bank statements. If nothing has changed since the initial application, the renewal is mostly a matter of updating dollar amounts for the current year and signing the form.

How to Submit the Renewal

Same channels as the original application:

• Online: Through KOLEA at medical.mybenefits.hawaii.gov (if the renewal is available digitally for your parent's case)
• Mail or fax: Return the completed DHS 1100B-2 to the Med-QUEST eligibility office for your island
• Questions: Call 1-800-316-8005 for Med-QUEST Customer Service; return the renewal packet through an available submission channel.

If your parent lives on a neighbor island or you're managing this from the mainland, mail and fax are the most common routes. Keep a copy of everything you send and note the date — if there's a processing dispute later, proof of timely submission matters.

What Happens If Coverage Gets Terminated

If the renewal isn't completed and Med-QUEST closes the MSP case, your parent will notice the Part B premium deduction returning in their Social Security check — $202.90/month — and QMB enrollees will also lose deductible and copay protection.

There are two paths to restore coverage:

90-day reconsideration window. Within 90 days of the termination date, your parent can submit the renewal documents and request reconsideration. If Med-QUEST determines they were eligible at the time of closure, coverage can be reinstated without a gap.

New application. After the 90-day window closes, your parent must submit a new DHS 1100/1100B application. This resets the 45-day processing timeline and, for QMB, means coverage starts only the first of the month after approval — no retroactive coverage. SLMB and QI can get up to three months of retroactive coverage, but any months beyond that window are lost.

QI Enrollees: The Annual Reapplication

QI (Qualifying Individual) works differently from QMB and SLMB at renewal time. QI coverage does not automatically continue into the next year — it requires a mandatory annual reapplication. If your parent doesn't reapply, QI ends at the close of the calendar year regardless of whether they're still eligible.

Med-QUEST sends the QI renewal notice, but families need to treat it as a fresh application rather than a routine update. The reapplication requirement is baked into QI's structure because it runs on a capped federal allotment.

Mainland Caregivers: Watching for the Notice

If you're managing a parent's MSP from the mainland, the renewal notice is the most time-sensitive piece of mail in their stack. It arrives at the Hawaii address with a 30-day deadline.

Strategies that work:

• Set up an Authorized Representative designation (Form DHS 1127) so Med-QUEST sends you copies of all notices
• Register on the KOLEA portal to check case status online
• Ask a local family member to watch for state mail and forward or photograph renewal forms immediately

The Hawaii Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide includes a renewal calendar, a checklist for completing the DHS 1100B-2, and the 90-day reconsideration steps for cases that get closed accidentally.

See more Hawaii guides →