Humana Seeking Workers

By MARY SHEDDEN
The Tampa Tribune
Published: Sep 22, 2006

TAMPA - Humana Inc. is adding 250 full-time jobs to its local operations before Jan. 1.

The rapid growth of the company's Medicare health care plan is behind the new jobs that will be needed primarily at the Tampa customer service call center, spokesman Mitch Lubitz said Thursday.

Humana's NetPark, 5701 E. Hillsborough Ave., also will be expanded by 35,000 square feet.

Scott Latimer, market president for senior products in central and north Florida, said the expansion brings to 1,000 the phone sales and customer service call center workers in Tampa.

Since last year, the company's Tampa operations have grown from about 500 associates to more than 1,000 by year's end. The growth is tied directly to the federal government's introduction of the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

"The pool of talent is here in Tampa," Latimer told the Wachovia/University of South Florida Community Forum on business growth.

Humana's Medicare membership as of June 30 was 4.4 million, Latimer said.

In the past year, the Louisville, Ky.-based company has signed on about half of the Medicare health plan enrollees in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. This week, it received the highest member satisfaction rating from J.D. Power and Associates.

Latimer said the company decided last year that Tampa would have enough office space and workers to handle a rapid expansion. Humana's office space needs, for example, required the ability to add 160,000 square feet at a rapid pace.

"Call centers are a great source for economic growth in this area," he said.

ABOUT HUMANA

WHAT THEY DO: Provide health care plans

WHAT'S NEW: 250 full-time call center jobs in Tampa

CONTACT: Submit

applications at humana.com

Reporter Mary Shedden can be reached at mshedden@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7365.