State officials respond to reports of possible Hawaii Health Connector shutdown

With reports circulating about the impending demise of the Hawaii Health Connector over the next five months, the state's top officials from the health insurance marketplace say such talks are premature. Details of the possible shutdown were reported by a Honolulu newspaper over the weekend, citing a draft corrective action plan submitted by Gov. David Ige's administration to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which officials from his office say were apparently leaked. Hawaii Health Connector Executive Director Jeff Kissel said he did not know what the report contained until details outlining the gradual closing of operations by the end of the third quarter were reported on Saturday.