Senator Webb Joins Press Conference Regarding Concerns With CDPAP Transition to PPL

New York State Senator Lea Webb (SD-52) held a press conference Monday afternoon regarding the widespread concerns of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) transition to the new fiscal intermediary Public Partnerships LLC (PPL). Senator Webb was joined by Assemblymember Donna Lupardo (AD-123) along with both consumers and providers of CDPAP from Broome, Cortland, and Tompkins Counties.

During Monday’s press conference, speakers voiced their concerns about the continuous issues with the PPL transition. Some of those issues were highlighted to be an ineffective online portal, long wait times, dropped calls, lack of follow-up from PPL, and an insufficient support system for consumers as well as providers who work to navigate the transition.

“PPL has demonstrated a disappointing lack of coordination during this transition, causing confusion for the home care workers and putting the health and well being of care-recipients at risk. My office continues to hear heartbreaking stories from CDPAP consumers and home health care workers alike about how this transition has impacted our most vulnerable neighbors. I have serious doubts that the one-month grace period is long enough to account for the size and complexity of this transition. I am calling upon the Governor and the Department of Health for increased accountability, transparency, and above all, more time to avoid further harm to my constituents.”

Said State Senator Lea Webb.

It was in 2024 when Governor Hochul overhauled the state’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. The program provides home care services to over 250,000 New Yorkers. Last September, the Governor named the Georgia-based company Public Partnerships LLC (PPL) to serve as the program’s fiscal intermediary. This would replace 600 smaller companies that administer the CDPAP program on behalf of thousands. 

As of February 11th, only 22,000 New Yorkers, out of the 280,000, have fully completed the enrollment process with PPL. 

“CAPCO is  deeply concerned about the health and wellbeing of the consumers we serve in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance (CDPA) Program. It is disheartening and woefully inaccurate to hear statements from the NYS Commissioner of Health and other government officials suggesting that delays are the fault of current FIs. Most NYS FIs are  human service not-for-profit organizations that actively lose money in this program while striving to support the most vulnerable in our community. These organizations have been working overtime to assist consumers with this transition, driven by genuine care and the desire to support those we serve. If NYS truly cared about the consumers attempting to live independently with needed CDPA support,  this transition would not have been rolled out in such a severe manner. A greater grace period than one month would have been provided to facilitate the transition. Furthermore, Personal Assistants  are being asked to work without pay for upwards of 30 days or more to ensure consumers receive  the care they need. This will exacerbate the economic instability already affecting many rural communities and severely impact the livelihoods and wellbeing of Personal Assistants performing  this challenging and vital work.”

Said Greg Richards, Executive Director, Cortland County Community Action Program (CAPCO).

According to the Health Department, as of last week, 139,000 consumers have completed the transition out of nearly 165,000 who have either begun or completed the process. The Health Department continued to say 55,000 are currently in the process of transitioning out of CDPAP to other home care programs that are covered by Medicaid with nearly 170,000 workers beginning or finishing their applications.