HONOLULU -- Thousands of government workers may have their health insurance coverage disrupted next year because the state agency that handles health insurance for more than 100,000 state and county employees and their dependents said it is overwhelmed and backlogged.

Hawaii Medical Services Association is concerned that some of it 33,000 state employee members will be without coverage come Jan. 1.

Thousands of Hawaii government employees are rushing this month to meet a Nov. 30, deadline to either retain their current health insurance or to change to another plan next year.

Because of revisions to the state's health care coverage, employees have to reapply to keep their current HMSA coverage or change it.

In a letter, Employer Union Health Benefits Trust administrator Jim Williams warned of delays because of "serious workload and resource issues."

"You know, not being able to have my medical ready for my family when I need it, that is a concern. So, I like to know what's going on and that is the reason I am here today to get more information," Department of Transportation worker Richard Baugh said at a state open enrollment fair at Leeward Community College.

Employees coming to the fair were warned by the state employees insurance fund that there will be delays in processing as they listened in a crowded auditorium on Tuesday.

"Because of our shortage in staff and the furloughs that are going and we switched over to a new computer system in September so that really back logged all of our paper work," health benefits worker Grace Moore explained.

Some employees were reassured by what they heard.

"No matter what, we would still be covered, that even if they are behind on things and they do expect to be behind," Leeward Community College clerk Barbara Donios said.

However, HMSA's Jennifer Deisman told KITV4 there will be disruptions to insurance if the state cannot process in time.