Gov. Kathy Hochul defended changes to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, or CDPAP, despite continued criticism from some advocates and state legislators.
During her budget presentation this week, Hochul said the transition to a single fiscal intermediary for the program, Public Partnerships (PPL), has saved state taxpayers more than $1 billion, double what was expected.
“Expenses went out of control and jeopardized the very viability of this vital program. We said, ‘Enough is enough. ’ We cut out the abuse and brought the program back in line, and our reforms are working,” Hochul said. “The people who need it are getting it. We put the program on the path to long-term fiscal stability.”
Hochul said the savings would be used to help stabilize Medicaid. The independent Fiscal Policy Institute said $500 million of the reported savings is coming from lower administrative costs, while the other sources are unclear.
At a rally this week, members of the Caring Majority coalition continued their call for changes to the program.
One parent who serves as her son’s caregiver called the transition to PPL “terrible.”
“Our previous (fiscal intermediary) was a nonprofit in our community. We had a single point of contact … I had excellent benefits as his care worker,” said Nicole Demme of Marilla, Erie County. “Everything about it has been difficult.”
The advocates were joined by several state lawmakers who continue to have questions about the transition.
“We are working toward reforms and watching CDPAP and making sure that people are getting paid and people are getting care at the same time,” said Sen. Cordell Cleare, a Harlem Democrat who is chair of the Senate Committee on Aging. "And we have to make sure that the dollars that we spend are going directly to the people who are providing the care."
In a statement, PPL said it’s delivered on efforts to provide oversight, save taxpayer dollars and ensure continuity of care.
"To date, we have identified and eliminated improper practices under the previous system, put the program on track to save New York taxpayers over $1 billion, and paid all personal assistants who submitted fully compliant timesheets in accordance with program rules,” Patty Byrnes, PPL's vice president of government relations, said in a statement.
“We are committed to continuing these efforts and protecting CDPAP in the long-run."
It has also added new health insurance options for caregivers this year.
Meanwhile, advocates are also calling for more investments in the state’s direct care system, including higher pay for workers.
Hochul’s budget proposal contains a 1.7% increase to direct care providers, short of the 2.7% increase that advocates are seeking. The administration pointed to more than $4 billion of investments into the system in recent years, including an $850 million investment during fiscal year 2025.
