If the recent national health care reform legislation requires Maine’s seasonal businesses to provide health insurance for all of their employees, some local tourist spots could be driven out of business. That’s the concern voiced by Ken Cormier, president of Funtown/Splashtown USA in Saco, who said he simply cannot afford to insure his peak-season staff of 600.

Cormier, whose Saco business is open spring through fall, said providing health insurance to all of his seasonal workers would be devastating financially.

Based on an internal analysis, the company found it would cost an additional $700,000 to insure its summer staff. The company does provide health insurance to a smaller contingent of employees who work year-round at the water and amusement park, “but we just couldn’t afford to cover all our seasonal employees,” he said.

The government has not properly educated small business owners on the new law, said Cormier, and there is much misinformation going around.

“The scary part about this whole thing is that a lot of things are still unclear,” said Eleanor Vadenais, Wells Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Late last month, Vadenais joined local small business owners to discuss the details of the health care legislation and figure out how Maine people and businesses will be impacted. The discussion was hosted by the Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with York Hospital and the Wells and Ogunquit chambers on April 30 in Eliot.

One speaker, James Gelfand of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, came from Washington, D.C. to help spread the word about changes going into effect this year and in the years to come.

However, even those like Gelfand who are working on the issue every day do not know how all parts of the legislation will be implemented.

“We’re working diligently to mitigate the bad effects of this legislation,” said Gelfand. One such effect, he said, could be on seasonal businesses.

Although the word “seasonal” does appear in the legislation, no one is sure yet how such businesses or employees will be defined. It is also unclear how seasonal employees would be accounted for when determining the size of a business.

A main piece of the legislation would require businesses with 50 or more employees to offer employees health insurance beginning in 2014. Gelfand said he fears hiring will be impacted, and businesses with 49 employees will become more prevalent.

Gelfand said one qualifier in the legislation is that employees who work 120 days per year or less will generally not have to be offered health insurance by employers. With the Department of Labor, Health and Human Service and Treasury all regulating different parts of the legislation, a lot of work remains, he said, and the details are yet to be defined.

John Lamarre, who owns the Roast N Crumb coffee shop in York, also said the process has been confusing, which is why he helped bring the health care reform summit to York County.

“There was a level of uncertainty” after the bill was passed, said Lamarre. “I tried to find out exactly how it would affect us.”

With just six employees, Lamarre would not be required to provide health insurance to his staff under the new law, but as the business continues to grow, that is his goal.

Lamarre said that he does not have health insurance and could not consider buying it for himself without offering it to employees.

“If we can get the costs aligned so it’s affordable, I would like to provide health care ”“ absolutely,” Lamarre said. “I am pro-health care.

“The thing that concerns me is that the dialogue has shifted from it being a benefit to a burden, which is unfortunate.”

Lamarre said he hopes the details are worked out in a way that allows small businesses like his to offer health care at an affordable rate ”“ whether it’s through tax credits or a reduction in cost. If health care continues to be out of reach for small business owners, job creation may falter in the future and small businesses could suffer if people choose not to take jobs without health benefits, he said.

“All business people need to keep their eye on the impact this could have,” said Lamarre. “There needs to be an ongoing dialogue.”

Cormier said despite his concerns, he believes reform is needed.

“There’s always hope,” Cormier said, adding that the support of Maine’s Congressional delegation is crucial. “I hope they realize the health care reform bill has many plusses and many minuses, and they have to work on the minuses so they don’t destroy jobs.”

In Maine, Gov. John Baldacci has formed the Health Reform Implementation Steering Committee, which includes the existing infrastructure of the Governor’s Office of Health Policy and Finance, state health officials, the Advisory Council on Health Systems Development and others, according to a statement from his office. As 2014 approaches, the legislation requires states to set up health care exchanges. The committee was scheduled to begin meeting this month to start planning how to meet the requirements of the federal law.

— Staff Writer Robyn Burnham can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 329 or rburnham@journaltribune.com.