Health care reform law could have hospitals hiring

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The health care reform law will affect different people and businesses differently. The top executives of northeast Indiana's two hospital networks said the changes will be mostly positive for their hospitals.

After the Supreme Court upheld the overhaul plan as constitutional, NewsChannel 15 looked into how it could affect the average person and a small business .

"For us, it's business as usual," Mike Packnett, CEO of Parkview Health, said. "We really believe many aspects of the new bill were good. The best thing is more people will be covered under the new act and I think that's great for this region."

CEO of Lutheran Health Network, Joe Dorko, also said the law will be good for hospitals.

"Our hospitals are mandated by Federal law to provide medically necessary emergency care for patients regardless of whether they have insurance or the ability to pay for services. Expanded coverage will reduce the burden of uncompensated care, helping to ensure we are reimbursed for the services we provide and making us stronger which benefits everyone," he said.

Watch the videos in this story to hear Packnett and Dorko talk about the reform law.

In 2009, NewsChannel 15 did a special report on the bad debt hospitals have to compensate for because of treating uninsured patients.

"It helps financially, but it really comes back to let's get out of people consuming the most expensive health care. It is significantly more expensive to treat a heart attack than it is to prevent it," Dorko said.

More people will likely be seeking care once more people have health insurance.

"We need to be able to provide more access to people now that they have coverage," Packnett said. "We're looking at how can we grow our primary care system." 

The influx of patients and an aging population will likely put a strain on the current health care workforce. Dorko sees that problem translating to hiring.

"Especially for physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses, this is a really golden opportunity for employment," he said.

Dorko also hopes the reform law will also help reform how people use the health care system.

"How do we as health care providers and society in general lead healthier lifestyles," Dorko said. "I want people who haven't seen a doctor in a long time to see a doctor. I want people who couldn't afford to get a prescription filled to get that prescription filled. It gives people who didn't have insurance before the ability to say let's take advantage of preventative health care. Let's take advantage of a healthier lifestyle."

On Wednesday, The Republican-led House voted to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law for the 33rd time. Like the previous repeal efforts, this will also likely die in the Democrat-controlled Senate.