Question: We’ve been receiving phone messages in the evenings and weekends from what seems to be the state, maybe the health department? We haven’t returned the calls because it seems strange that the state would be calling after hours. Are these legitimate calls?
Answer: Yes, most likely. We checked with the state Department of Health and learned that a vendor is conducting two health surveys on its behalf. The calling hours include evenings and weekends, to reach more people at home. The department uses the data collected to improve its programs, so participation is vital to serve the health needs of Hawaii residents.
Janice Okubo, DOH communications director, provides details:
“The Hawaii state Department of Health Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division has two health surveys currently in the field: the Hawaii Behavioral Risk Factor Survey as well as the Healthy Hawaii Initiative Rolling Survey, both administered for the department by SMS Research and Marketing Services, Inc.
“Both telephone surveys call residents in the evenings. … If we know the phone number of the resident dialed, we can provide confirmation of whether the call was generated as a result of one of these surveys. Without that information, we are only able to generally confirm that it is plausible that the call the resident received was legitimate since our call hours do include evening and weekend hours.”
Okubo also provided information from SMS, a local research company, about how residents can recognize the calls, and follow up with the company if necessary:
SMS Research is calling a randomly selected sample of residents on all islands between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and some Sundays.
Residents’ caller IDs will display SMS’ main phone number, 808-537-3356. SMS interviewers will leave a maximum of three messages on voice mails or answering machines.
Messages say that SMS is calling with a survey on behalf of the health department and provide a toll-free callback number. If you have any further questions, feel free to call that number, 1-888-502-7377.
Q: Can I get a printout of those insurance premium comparisons you wrote about? I don’t use a computer so I can’t access the PDFs online as you mentioned.
A: Yes. The 2017 premium comparison sheets were prepared by the Insurance Division of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
Hawaii consumers who want a paper copy of the publications can stop by the division’s office at 335 Merchant Street, Room 213, Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or call 586-2790 to request them by mail, said William Nhieu, a spokesman for the division.
As last Thursday’s column explained (808ne.ws/2kFpr28), the insurance division compiles and publishes data on sample policies to help residents gauge annual premiums for motor vehicle, homeowner’s (single-family homes and condominiums) and renter’s insurance, and monthly premiums for individual health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
Mahalo
Our Niu Valley neighborhood was hit hard with high winds in the last few weeks. We witnessed the amazing work of our local firefighters who came one day to saw up downed trees blocking sidewalks and roads, and brought their ladder truck another day to nail boards across flying loose roof shingles of an elderly neighbor’s roof. The city team came promptly afterward to mulch the downed tree limbs.
Thank you, firefighters and city workers, for your terrific service! — C.L.
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-210, Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
