In the 1980s, Hawaii’s uninsured population was estimated at 5 percent, and the state was credited as having the lowest uninsured rate in the U.S.

By the late 1990s, the uninsured rate increased to 8 percent. In 2001, the number had grown to nearly 10 percent - about 120,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey.

The problem is larger than the 120,000 who are directly affected.

In 2002, Hawaii’s hospitals lost an estimated $95 million due to uncompensated care. Hospitals and community clinics shoulder the burden of providing care with little or no reimbursement, while businesses and individuals are affected with higher insurance premiums.