Banahan: Ky. Health Exchange to Benefit Small Businesses Most

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Kentucky’s health benefit exchange program has received conditional approval from the federal government. The commonwealth is among 15 states operating their own health care exchanges. The government-managed health plans goes into effect January 2014.

Executive Director Carrie Banahan hopes the exchange makes buying health insurance simpler, especially for businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

“This will help ease the administrative burden for those small employers who don’t necessarily have a human resources department and aren’t equipped for insurance type functions and activities," said Banahan.

The federal government funds the health benefit exchange through the end of 2014. Banahan says after that, the state will assess fees based on the premium amounts. She estimates around 300,000 will buy health insurance through the exchange.