Hawaii hospitals and Medicare directory
A reference guide to every major hospital and medical center in Hawaii — what they do, where they are, and how Medicare interacts with each.
How Medicare works at Hawaii hospitals
All major Hawaii hospitals participate in Medicare. Original Medicare and most Medicare Advantage plans accept all of them, though network rules vary:
- Original Medicare — accepted at every Medicare-participating hospital, no network restrictions
- Medicare Advantage HMO — typically requires in-network hospitals except in emergencies
- Medicare Advantage PPO — in-network preferred but allows out-of-network at higher cost
- Emergencies — covered at any Medicare hospital regardless of network (federal rule)
Oahu (Honolulu County)
| Hospital | Specialty focus |
|---|---|
| Queen's Medical Center (Punchbowl) | Hawaii's largest hospital — trauma, transplant, cardiac, neurosurgery, oncology, comprehensive specialty care |
| Queen's Medical Center West Oahu (Ewa Beach) | Acute care, emergency, surgery, women's health |
| Straub Medical Center | Hawaii Pacific Health flagship — cardiac, oncology, surgery |
| Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children | Hawaii's specialized women's and children's hospital |
| Pali Momi Medical Center (Aiea) | Hawaii Pacific Health — primary care, surgery, emergency |
| Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center | Kaiser members; full-service hospital with cancer center |
| Castle Medical Center (Kailua) | Adventist Health Castle — windward Oahu acute care |
| Kahuku Medical Center | North shore Oahu — small acute care hospital |
| Wahiawa General Hospital | Central Oahu — community hospital |
| Tripler Army Medical Center | Largest military hospital in the Pacific; TRICARE/VA care, some retiree access |
| Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center | VA care for veterans; on Tripler campus |
| Hawaii State Hospital (Kaneohe) | State psychiatric hospital |
Hawaii Island (Big Island / Hawaii County)
| Hospital | Region |
|---|---|
| Hilo Medical Center | Windward (east) — largest Big Island hospital, trauma center |
| Kona Community Hospital (Kealakekua) | Leeward (west) — main hospital for Kona side |
| North Hawaii Community Hospital (Waimea) | Central north — Adventist Health |
| Ka'u Hospital (Pahala) | Rural south — small critical access hospital |
The Big Island's size means significant travel between population centers — Hilo to Kona is about 2 hours by car. For specialty care not available locally, many Big Island Medicare beneficiaries travel to Oahu.
Maui (Maui County)
| Hospital | Region |
|---|---|
| Maui Memorial Medical Center (Wailuku) | Main hospital — comprehensive acute care, trauma |
| Kula Hospital | Upcountry Maui — long-term care and rural acute |
| Molokai General Hospital (Kaunakakai) | Molokai's only hospital — small critical access |
| Lanai Community Hospital (Lanai City) | Lanai's only hospital — limited services |
Lahaina-area facility access has been reduced since the 2023 wildfires; West Maui residents typically use Maui Memorial in Wailuku or travel to Oahu.
Kauai (Kauai County)
| Hospital | Region |
|---|---|
| Wilcox Medical Center (Lihue) | Hawaii Pacific Health — Kauai's primary acute care hospital |
| Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital (Waimea) | West Kauai — Hawaii Health Systems Corporation |
| Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital (Kapaa) | Long-term care and skilled nursing |
Hospital systems explained
Most Hawaii hospitals belong to one of four major systems:
Hawaii Pacific Health
Operates Straub, Kapiolani, Pali Momi, and Wilcox. The state's largest health system by hospital count, with a unified electronic health record across facilities.
Queen's Health Systems
Operates Queen's Medical Center (Punchbowl), Queen's West Oahu, Queen's North Hawaii (Waimea), Molokai General Hospital, and other facilities. Hawaii's oldest hospital system, founded 1859 by Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV.
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii
Integrated health system serving Kaiser members. Members are typically restricted to Kaiser facilities and providers; non-Kaiser members generally cannot use Kaiser hospitals except in emergencies.
Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC)
Public benefit corporation operating Hilo Medical Center, Maui Memorial, Kula Hospital, Kona Community Hospital, Ka'u Hospital, Kauai Veterans, Samuel Mahelona, and others. Provides safety-net hospital access on neighbor islands.
Hospital quality data
Medicare publishes quality data for every U.S. hospital at Medicare.gov/care-compare. You can compare Hawaii hospitals on:
- Patient survey ratings
- Readmission and complication rates
- Mortality measures
- Hospital-acquired infections
- Timely and effective care metrics
Choosing a hospital — practical advice
- Confirm network status — for Medicare Advantage, verify your hospital is in-network
- Check for the specialist you need — being a "Medicare hospital" doesn't mean every specialty is available
- Consider system continuity — staying within one health system (Hawaii Pacific Health, Queen's, Kaiser, HHSC) keeps records and care coordinated
- Plan for emergencies — know which hospital is closest and which is appropriate for your conditions
- Confirm transplant or trauma center status for serious diagnoses — only Queen's is a Level I trauma center; transplants happen primarily at Queen's
Related guides
- Medicare Advantage in Hawaii
- Inter-island healthcare travel and Medicare
- Cancer care and Medicare in Hawaii
- Dialysis and ESRD Medicare in Hawaii
Frequently asked questions
If you have Original Medicare, yes — it's accepted at every Medicare-participating hospital, which is virtually all Hawaii hospitals. Medicare Advantage plans typically have network restrictions; check your plan.
Specialty oncology is concentrated on Oahu, primarily at the UH Cancer Center, Queen's Medical Center, Kaiser Moanalua, and Straub. Routine chemotherapy and radiation are available at most major hospitals statewide.
Yes, subject to capacity. Active-duty members and dependents have priority. Many Hawaii military retirees use Tripler for primary care and select specialty services. See our TRICARE For Life guide.
Most Kauai specialty care travels to Oahu — the major Honolulu hospitals or Kaiser Moanalua. Some patients travel to mainland centers for very specialized care. Inter-island travel coverage varies by Medicare plan.
Generally yes for routine care. Non-Kaiser members are typically not seen at Kaiser hospitals except in emergencies. If you're not a Kaiser member, you'd use Queen's, Hawaii Pacific Health, or HHSC facilities.