Question: There usually was a free shredding event in Aiea in the fall. Did I miss it?
Answer: No, the AARP did not organize a free shredding event this fall, as it did last October and in previous years in Aiea, a very popular site because of its relatively central location on Oahu.
There is a community recycling event coming up in Kahuku that will accept a variety of items, including two boxes of documents to shred per vehicle, if that North Shore location is convenient for you. Here are the details:
>> Kahuku High and Intermediate School’s 3Rs School Recycling Drive with Kokua Hawaii Foundation.
>> Nov. 23 from 9 to 11 a.m. at 56-490 Kamehameha Highway, in the school’s front gravel parking lot.
>> HI-5 cans and bottles, some scrap metals, some electronics, some household goods in clean, saleable condition; two gallons of used household cooking oil; and two boxes of documents are among the items that will be accepted per vehicle, according to the event flier, which you can read at kokuahawaiifoundation.org for details on what is and isn’t acceptable in each category.
>> Residential materials only; no commercial or government drop-offs. Limits and exceptions apply.
>> As for documents, the flier says there’s a limit of two boxes per vehicle and vehicle caravans are not allowed (this tactic clogs traffic, as members of the same household drive separate cars to beat the two-box limit). Documents will be collected in locked bins and shredded off-site. No newspapers, glossy magazines or other types of paper will be accepted.
Q: Regarding Obamacare, do you have to be a U.S. citizen to buy coverage?
A: No, but you can’t be an undocumented immigrant. To enroll through the Health Insurance Marketplace at healthcare.gov, you must live in the United States; be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national, or be a lawfully present noncitizen with an eligible immigration status; and not be incarcerated, the website says. It lists eligible immigration statuses, including Green Card-holders, asylum seekers, refugees and other categories.
To answer another reader’s question, no, someone on Medicare cannot buy supplementary health insurance through the Marketplace, which was created with the passage of the U.S. Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.
Marketplace open enrollment lasts through Jan. 15. Eligible people who don’t have health insurance through their jobs, Medicare or some other program are encouraged to compare Marketplace plans and enroll before then. Various organizations have been hosting free events to help people sign up, and here’s information about another:
>> Wednesday from 3 to 7 p.m. on Zoom, the online communications platform used for virtual meetings, webinars and other purposes. The reservation link is at 808ne.ws/499oj73. There will be a presentation at the top of every hour, after which consumers can join breakout rooms for personal assistance.
>> To ease the enrollment process, consumers should have the following on hand: household income documentation, Social Security numbers for all applicants and immigration documents, if applicable. Lower- income consumers may be eligible for tax credits that reduce the cost of monthly insurance premiums.
>> This event is sponsored by the federal Enrollment Assistance Program, updatemyhealthcare.com.
Giving thanks
Kokua Line hopes to continue its tradition of publishing a special Mahalo column on Thanksgiving. Please submit short expressions of gratitude for people who share aloha in everyday life, going above and beyond to make others’ lives better, whether for a stranger or a friend. We’re hoping to collect a wide array of short “good news” items to celebrate the holiday. Use any of the submission methods listed at the end of the column, although email is preferred. Please submit by Nov. 26.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
