Q: Amusement parks and ski resorts hire seasonal workers, many of them young people who want a summer job or wish to be on the slopes as much as possible. Under health reform, will Cedar Point and Kings Island, not to mention Brandwine and the big ski resorts in Colorado and Vermont, have to provide health insurance (or pay fines) for their summer workers? Isn't that going to push up admission prices, reduce workers' wages, or affect the finances of the employers?...

For an answer according to Steven Koff at The Plain Dealer, which, in part, cites Craig Freeman, corporate vice president for operations at Cedar Fair, see:

http://www.cleveland.com/medical/index.ssf/2010/04/how_new_law_will_affect_season.html

Note: This is not a political forum. Please keep this in mind as this is discussed, if it is...

well its still early (4 years away) the bill could be amended twenty times by then. But it looks like the amusement parks may get around if most of the people they hire are already covered by their parents. They could offer the insurance but not many will take it. I thought it was interesting about the part of 120 days. Thats 3 months. Could that mean that we may not see the same smiling faces all summer by then? But then again though, I am sure Cedar Fair is leaning heavily on its representatives.....

KI already offers insurance to their seasonal employees.

KI already offers insurance to their seasonal employees.

From what I understand, CF nixed the health insurance for seasonal employees. I'm not sure of that, but maybe someone who works there could shed some light on it.

When I worked at Cedar Point last summer, I never heard it mentioned.

We have insurance..it is being offered. It's a limited benefit plan which means doctors visits and minor accidents (such as breaking your leg on personal time) are covered. There are maximums, but for the cost its pretty darn good. The sad thing is, its' better insurance than what I have at my full time job, and I work for a health care company full time.

I will use this for any doctor visits, and use my other plan for anything major such as cancer and such. The copays are extremely reasonable, and personally, I think Cedar Fair did great with this. For healthy teens and twenty somethings, its ideal.