Butler Health System is still learning how last month's health care reform legislation will change the way it does business.

"It's a good thing, but it's a slow process," said Ken DeFurio, CEO of Butler Health System.

While the money the hospital gets from Medicare reimbursement will be lowered under the law, Defurio said he doesn't know what impact those cuts will have. In turn, more people will have access to hospital services.

"The reality is... the bottom line is....we're busier and get paid less money," DeFurio said.

The changes won't be immediate, he said, but will take place during the next four years.

While the legislation is developing, the health system will use its professional memberships as resources to determine the effect.

One thing the hospital may benefit from are a series of quality initiatives that will pay bonuses for increasing clinical care quality.

The changes in coverage that take place this year, such as insuring dependent young adults until age 26, will cost the hospital for its employees, said CFO Ann Krebs.

As the health care industry adjusts to the new law, DeFurio said the health system's primary focus will still be on patient care in the community and providing jobs to employees.

The Community Health Clinic in East Butler, is also still waiting on word about the changes that would result from the reform law. But, one official knows the clinic, which serves uninsured and underinsured people, still will be needed.

Cecilia Foster, executive director of the clinic, said the reform is not all-inclusive and does nothing to address the dental needs of patients.

In the future, there still will be people who can't pay for health services and the clinic will remain committed to helping those people.

The dental portion of the clinic will be especially needed, because it is not covered in the law. The clinic started dental services in the fall and still has a waiting list of more than 1,000 people, Foster said.

"The need is bigger than big," she said.

She also plans to stay in touch with professional groups and legislators as health care reform develops.

"It's still such an unknown," she said.