Approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, children in Hawai’i can stay covered by the state’s Medicaid program, QUEST, without interruptions.

According to state officials, children under age 6 will have continuous coverage until their sixth birthday, and children ages 6 to 19 will receive coverage for two years at a time, so families won’t have to reapply as often.

“More than 50 percent of our keiki in Hawaiʻi receive access to health care through Medicaid,” said Ryan Yamane, director of the Department of Human Services, in a statement. “This new policy ensures they’ll have access to essential health services without disruptions.”

Hawai’i joins 12 other states with expanded continuous Medicaid coverage for children. For more details, visit Medicaid.gov. To apply for QUEST coverage, go to MedQuest.Hawaii.Gov.