Overview
- Supervisors on a joint finance and personnel committee approved a five-year contract with UnitedHealthcare during an emergency meeting, sending it to the full board for a vote on Thursday, Feb. 5.
- County Executive David Crowley said the HR employee responsible for the lapse is no longer employed, and his office confirmed benefits director Tony Maze’s dismissal.
- The contract expired Dec. 31, 2025, and officials say coverage continued under the old terms with little legal protection as roughly 5,168 employees and retirees relied on UHC to keep paying claims.
- Auditors and the comptroller flagged missing documentation and insufficient vetting of 2026 contract language, and Maze acknowledged bypassing RFP rules after hiring Willis Towers Watson to explore alternatives.
- Legal staff warned of potential out-of-network costs in the millions and disruption to care, prompting calls from supervisors for a formal audit of the Human Resources department.