Kaiser Permanente Hawaii will offer a free health plan for young adults without health insurance under a pilot program it hopes to expand and make permanent.

The health maintenance organization said starting Dec. 1 it will start signing people up for the program, which is limited to 200 low-income participants on O'ahu between the ages of 19 and 24.

Each person who qualifies will have their monthly dues paid by Kaiser for one year. Kaiser said it wants to help them until they are in better financial shape.

The program comes at a time when healthcare costs are rising and people are losing employer-sponsored healthcare plans because of layoffs. Kaiser said it wanted to do something as part of its 50th anniversary here that demonstrated its commitment to healthcare and the community.

In doing so, it looked at the about 100,000 people without healthcare coverage in the state and determined it could do more for 19- to 24-year-olds. Its research shows this group loses coverage as they "roll off" their parents' healthcare plans, may have been among the thousands who've lost jobs in the current economic slump or are among those who work two part-time jobs and don't qualify for employer health plans.

"This is just the beginning," said Janet Liang, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii president. "Long-term, we would like to have a larger, more robust program. The 200 is just a starting number for us."

Kaiser Permanente believes there are 12,000 to 16,000 Hawai'i residents in the age range who don't have health coverage. Nationally, 31 percent of 19- to 24-year-olds have no health insurance, Kaiser said.

To qualify, they can only earn 250 percent of the federal poverty level for Hawai'i, or $29,900 annually for single people and $40,250 for couples. The program won't involve screening for only healthy participants.

First priority will be given to ex-Kaiser members. Under the program, there will be a $25 co-payment for office visits and a drug co-payment.

Liang said the program will be evaluated in coming months and that Kaiser will look at other charitable programs should this one not work out. She said the program will be paid for out of profits and that Kaiser is looking to address other uninsured residents with more affordable products, such as a plan that has a premium as low as $50 a month.

"We have been working really hard to become more affordable for our customers as well as individuals," Liang said. "It's really part of our mission."