William Lindsay, presiding officer of the Suffolk Legislature, was irate after finding out Suffolk OTB failed to keep its promise to cut off medical benefits for board members.
So he refiled a bill last week to end the perk.
But Lindsay got quicker action than expected: the lone OTB board member getting health insurance, Patrick O’Byrne, resigned Thursday.
Jeff Casale, OTB president (in photo at left), took the blame for the initial foulup, saying he did not arrange in time for O’Byrne to begin paying for the benefits at the start of this year. Because of that error, the three-member board voted to allow O’Byrne to keep benefits until the end of March. Later, OTB officials found O’Bryne could not pay the Cobra rate to keep the insurance, because Cobra only applies to those who leave the job. The board extended O’Byrne’s benefits again until May 31.
Last week, OTB officials found that the agency’s health insurer, New York State Health Insurance Plan, which covers central office employees, limits what can be charged to 65 percent of premium. However, O’Byrne resigned in the mean time, without giving a reason. Hours after O’Byrne’s departure, Democrats put forward the name of Edward Wynn of Amityville to replace him.
Rick Brand