By Christine Donnelly

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Question: Why won’t Social Security be sending paper checks anymore? My grandmother must be one of the few who still gets a check and she doesn’t like this change. Will the IRS do this too, for tax refunds, or is it only Social Security?

Answer: The change is due to an executive order by President Donald Trump on March 25 (808ne.ws/46a4sEM) that mandates “the transition to electronic payments for all Federal disbursements and receipts,” which means that payments both to and from the federal government are being digitized. The order says that “effective Sept. 30, 2025, and to the extent permitted by law, the Secretary of the Treasury shall cease issuing paper checks for all Federal disbursements inclusive of intragovernmental payments, benefits payments, vendor payments, and tax refunds,” with some exceptions, such as when a waiver is granted because a recipient lacks access to banking services or electronic payment systems. So, yes, the order also applies to the IRS.

The vast majority of Americans who receive Social Security or other monthly federal payments are paid by direct deposit and do not need to take any action, according to the Treasury Department. The minority receiving paper checks should switch to an electronic payment method, it said, providing instructions on how to do so at 808ne.ws/3KbgzJ9.

The use of paper-based payments by the federal government, including checks and money orders, imposes “unnecessary costs; delays; and risks of fraud, lost payments, theft, and inefficiencies,” the executive order said, noting that Treasury checks are 16 times more likely than electronic fund transfers to be reported lost or stolen, returned undeliverable or altered.

Q: Does the insurance commissioner’s “Memorandum on COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage” mean that insurance companies must cover the cost of the vaccination in Hawaii?

A: No, “per the Insurance Division, the Commissioner’s Memorandum is strong policy guidance. It signals that the Commissioner believes insurers should do this. It is not, however, a regulation or law at this point in time,” William Nhieu, a spokesperson for Hawaii’s Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, said in an email.

Major health insurers in Hawaii, including HMSA, Kaiser Permanente and HMAA, are covering the cost of 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccination for their members ages 6 months and older, according to their websites or spokespersons.

Insurance Commissioner Scott K. Saiki wrote on Sept. 11 to all Hawaii health insurers that “it remains vital to public health that individuals across all age groups maintain access to COVID-19 vaccinations to prevent severe illness and hospitalization. Accordingly, the Commissioner expects health insurers to continue providing COVID-19 vaccination coverage for individuals aged 6 months and older without imposing cost- sharing requirements and utilization management even for off-label indications.

“Given that smaller healthcare providers and pharmacies may face financial strain in procuring and storing vaccines, the Insurance Division also expects health insurers to work with providers and the Department of Health to ensure a sufficient supply of COVID-19 vaccine to meet demand, reduce the financial burden on smaller entities, and facilitate vaccine administration throughout the state particularly for groups at increased risk of severe infection.

“Health insurers are expected to continue uninterrupted access to COVID-19 vaccines and to communicate clearly with their members regarding ongoing coverage.”

Memorandum 2025-7H went on to say that the DCCA’s Insurance Division will continue to monitor insurer challenges and may issue further guidance as needed.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.