Louisville, KY (WDRB News) -- Insurance companies could see their business increase as a result of health care reform now upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court.
And that should be good news to Louisville based Humana, which is one of Louisville's largest employers.
During the past couple of years, its Medicare business has increased considerably.
"Humana is growing especially in Louisville," says Tom Noland. vice president for communications for Humana, "growing in terms of our revenues, growing in terms of our health plan membership and in Jefferson County we are growing in terms of employment, we now have more than 10,000 employees in the metro area."
Even though health care reform seeks to cut federal spending for Medicare, Noland believes Humana's Medicare business will continue to grow, because America's aging population will give it more potential customers.
But one of the health insurance company's concerns is the impact on small businesses which will be required to provide insurance for their workers or face penalties.
Under the law companies with more than 50 workers will have to offer insurance.
Big business is exempt because those companies are mostly self-insured, so there is still a lot of work to do post Supreme Court decision.
"We are already working with both sides politically to try to get this changed," explains Noland, "and that is the so called premium tax which falls unfairly on small business and seniors."
Jodi Mitchell, the executive director of Voices for Health a grass roots organization working on behalf of affordable health care says the debate over health care will continue.
"The court decision is just a vehicle for change," she says, "so individuals really need to stay educated and informed and participate in this important implementation process."
So while the Supreme Court has settled the legal argument over health care reform, now consumers will find out if the overhaul with work as advertised.
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