by Andrew Walden

Last November, this writer filled out an incomplete application for an individual marketplace plan on the Health Connector.  Five months later, the Health Connector is making its first and only attempt to follow up.

Health Connector officials, announcing the latest extension of the latest grace period, report “29,314 Applications completed in the Individual Marketplace” but only 8,182 enrollments.  Yet it appears they have made little or no effort to reach out to incomplete applicants—who might make up the best pool of qualified sales leads for outbound telemarketing by the Health Connector’s $12M telemarketing contractors. 

Here is the email they sent.  We have removed the embedded links:

Grace Period Extension, April 30, 2014

April 16, 2014

Mahalo for participating with the Hawaiʻi Health Connector.

Since you started your application process before March 31, 2014, you qualify for a “grace period” that allows you more time to complete your application and enrollment through the Connector. This notice is to alert you that this grace period has been extended to April 30, 2014.

However, this is the final extension. If you do not take action to complete your application, plan selection, and enrollment by 11:59 p.m. HST on April 30, 2014, your application will expire.

To complete your application and enrollment before the April 30 deadline, please choose any of the following options to submit your missing information:

1. Contact a Kōkua – Visit HawaiiHealthConnector.com/Marketplace-Assister to locate and contact the certified Kōkua or Marketplace Assister nearest you. These assisters will provide in-person or phone assistance.

2. Call the Customer Support Center to speak with a representative, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. HST, Tuesday through Friday, toll-free at 1-877-628-5076.

3. Go online to www.ConnectHawaii.com and finish your application or plan selection.  Once you log into your account, click on “My Eligibility” and then “Select Plans”.  If you forgot your password, you can reset it at the login page.

At the Hawaiʻi Health Connector, our goal is to make health insurance easier to understand and easier to purchase. If you have any questions or require additional assistance, please contact our Customer Support Center or visit HawaiiHealthConnector.com.

If you feel that you've received this e-mail in error, please click here to unsubscribe.