Humana Issues Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Ruling

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), one of the nation’s leading health and well-being companies, issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to uphold the Affordable Care Act – also known as the federal health care reform law:

“Humana and its 40,000-plus associates will remain focused on our top priority – helping people across the country achieve lifelong well-being.”

Humana believes that all Americans deserve affordable, quality health care. While the company will take time to fully analyze the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the decision does not affect current coverage for Humana members.

Humana’s focus remains on implementing the law in the most efficient, affordable way possible, and on providing stability and peace of mind for Humana health plan members. Humana will continue to work with health care providers to improve our health care system with reforms that advance quality and enhance health outcomes, promote prevention and help patients and physicians fight chronic conditions.

The health care reform law includes several important patient protections that Humana supports, including:

• Putting health insurance in reach of millions of uninsured Americans
• Removing pre-existing conditions as a barrier to coverage
• Providing financial assistance for those who need it

However, the health care reform law falls short in controlling the underlying cause of our nation’s health care crisis: costs that are too high and rising too fast. Affordable and stable coverage must be our top priority.

Several significant reforms will take effect in 2014 such as guaranteed coverage, rating restrictions and exchanges. Humana believes there must be a gradual transition to new rating and benefit requirements, which threaten to undermine the goals of access and affordability. And, costs will jump unfairly for small businesses and many seniors, unless something is done about the health care law’s premium tax.

“Humana will continue to collaborate with policymakers on both sides of the political aisle, as well as other key stakeholders, to promote health care affordability and to enhance quality, while ensuring a smooth and stable transition to 2014 when several of the health care law’s most significant provisions take effect,” said Michael B. McCallister, Humana’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Humana and its 40,000-plus associates will remain focused on our top priority – helping people across the country achieve lifelong well-being.”

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is a leading health care company that offers a wide range of insurance products and health and wellness services that incorporate an integrated approach to lifelong well-being. By leveraging the strengths of its core businesses, Humana believes it can better explore opportunities for existing and emerging adjacencies in health care that can further enhance wellness opportunities for the millions of people across the nation with whom the company has relationships.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:

• Annual reports to stockholders
• Securities and Exchange Commission filings
• Most recent investor conference presentations
• Quarterly earnings news releases
• Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls
• Calendar of events (including upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors)
• Corporate Governance information