Hoana Medical Inc., a Hawai'i-based medical technology company, said several union health and welfare trust funds are supporting use of its LifeBed Patient Vigilance System that allows patients' vital signs to be monitored at all times without intrusive wires or devices being hooked up to their bodies.

Hoana said the health and welfare trust funds are directing third-party insurance payors to reimburse LifeBed costs for members.

Currently the Hawaii Medical Service Association, the state's largest healthcare insurer, does not reimburse for LifeBed costs because other monitors are already available.

Hoana said the union health and welfare trust funds are reimbursing hospitals at $18 per day per bed. The groups involved include the Hawai'i Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund and cover about 230,000 people.