1 week Ago By Holden Draper
In a significant move concerning New York's home care sector, state health officials have agreed to an extension for overhauling the $9 billion Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). This decision comes on the heels of mounting pressure from advocates who highlighted the potentially disruptive consequences for consumers and caretakers alike. Health care recipients, particularly those with chronic illnesses and disabilities, were concerned about the initial April 1 deadline to register with Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), which is taking over service from over 600 current operators.
In response to a lawsuit from home care consumers, state officials agreed to push the registration deadline to May 15 for consumers and June 6 for caretakers, as reported by Gothamist.Despite previous assurances from Governor Kathy Hochul and state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald that the transition would be smooth, approximately 32,000 home care consumers have yet to complete registration with PPL.
Furthermore, about 36,000 workers have been unable to log their hours, leading to the extended deadlines. The state extended its resources to aid PPL in the transition, yet advocates argued that these measures were still not sufficient to ensure a seamless shift for all stakeholders involved. Those advocating for more time were offered an "expedited" onboarding process or could continue to get paid by their existing companies, which were outlined in the newly reached agreement, according to Gothamist.
Meanwhile, accusations of a rigged bidding process for the CDPAP have emerged, casting shadows on the state's efforts to centralize oversight and curb program costs. Carlos Martinez, executive director of BRIDGES, added his voice to the allegations, stating in a sworn statement that a state disability official disclosed Public Partnerships LLC would take over as a statewide fiscal intermediary before the bidding process had concluded. This sparked a lawsuit from another provider, FreedomCare LLC, which claimed the process had been tainted from the start, as reported by the New York Post.
Defending the selection of PPL and reforms to CDPAP, Governor Hochul's office denied any wrongdoing, pledging the overhaul would tackle waste, fraud, and abuse in the system. "Our reforms will protect home care users and taxpayers by ending years of waste, fraud and abuse in CDPAP – and the bottom line is that no state official knew in April who would be selected as a result of this procurement," stated a Hochul spokesperson in a comment obtained by the New York Post. The transition's ultimate effect on New York’s home care program and its 200,000 patients is to be observed as the new system seeks to take effect by this April.
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