Despite Record Profits, Universal withdraws Health Care for Part-Time Workers

Universal Orlando would no longer be offering medical insurance to part-time employees, beginning next year.

The giant theme-park resort began informing employees earlier this month that it will offer health-insurance to part-time workers, “only until December 31, 2013,” hotair.com reported.

Universal currently offers part-time workers what’s referred to as “mini-med plans,” where part-time workers pay about $936 in premiums annually.  The “mini-med plans” offered relatively low premiums but caps benefits such as hospital stays at $5,000 annual.

When the Affordable Care Act better known as Obamacare takes full effect at the beginning of 2014, the law will prohibit insurance plans that impose annual monetary limits on essential medical care such, as hospitalization, or on overall spending, hotair.com also reported.

The upshot is, part-time employees would likely be forced to buy comprehensive coverage in the healthcare exchanges, seek more costly private insurance or forego health insurance altogether.

Universal Orlando reported revenues in excess of $1 billion and huge operating profits of $267 million, in 2010.