My mother was a nurse, and one of the greatest lessons she taught me was that every person, regardless of age, physical ability, or mental ability, is deserving of respect, dignity, and compassionate care. Unfortunately, the Governor’s meddling in the state’s healthcare system has left both caregivers and the people they care for, some of the most vulnerable members of our society, behind.
That principle is at the heart of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), a Medicaid program that allows elderly and disabled New Yorkers to choose and manage their own caregivers. Unlike traditional home-care models, CDPAP gives consumers greater control by allowing them to hire caregivers they trust, including certain family members and close personal connections. Fiscal intermediary companies handle administrative responsibilities such as payroll, billing, and compliance, allowing consumers to receive care that reflects their individual needs.
However, in 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration announced out of the blue that she planned on replacing the existing network of fiscal intermediaries with a single statewide fiscal intermediary. The change was authorized through a last-minute addition to the state budget, and in September 2024, Hochul announced that the five year, $11 billion contract would be awarded to Public Partnerships LLC (PPL).
The issue was that PPL had no prior experience administering CDPAP in New York, and its record in other states raised concerns. In Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Colorado, the company faced criticism over increased costs, financial management issues, and poor performance rankings.
To put it frankly, this was a no-bid-contract. PPL had communicated with the Governor’s Office and the Department of Health before the statewide fiscal intermediary change was finalized in the state budget. A PPL official initially testified that there had been no prior conversations with the state, until communication records came out and she withdrew that statement. These records show early discussions included detailed meetings, written exchanges, and a management proposal outlining how PPL would operate the CDPAP program.
The transition to PPL was a slow-motion train wreck. For months, a bipartisan group of legislators urged the Governor to reverse course or slow down the rollout. The Governor ignored state lawmakers, the numerous protestors (many of whom being wheelchair bound), and the mounting issues and continued with the transition.
As a result of the transition, patients and caregivers reported missed paychecks, unreturned calls, leaked personal information, and software failures that disrupted care for some of New York’s most vulnerable residents. This chaotic rollout left thousands of caregivers and Medicaid recipients struggling to access the support they rely on, with more than 40,000 New Yorkers leaving the CDPAP system during the transition.
Now, the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the New York State Department of Health and PPL over the controversial CDPAP contract and transition process. While Governor Hochul has dismissed the investigation as politically motivated, members of her own party don’t even agree with her. One Democratic State Senator agreed with the investigation and said that “PPL and the Department of Health have a lot of answering to do.”
While much of the blame belongs to the Hochul administration and PPL, the state legislature cannot escape responsibility. The legislature had multiple chances to stop or slow this transition, from questioning the last-minute budget language that created the single fiscal intermediary system to passing legislation that would have delayed the rollout and addressed serious concerns. Instead, Democratic leadership in the legislature deferred to the Governor and allowed this controversial no-bid-contract to move forward.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a part of the political patronage system. I have never been handed a political appointment, and I have never traded political favors. Some will argue that you need to play that game to get things done, but I believe we should expect better from our leaders. Albany does not need more career politicians; it needs representatives with real-world experience who will put people ahead of politics.
If elected to the State Assembly, I will vote based on what my constituents need, not what party leadership demands. I will work across the aisle to find solutions on issues that matter, even when it means challenging the status quo. Political bosses may not always like it, but doing what is right for the people should always come first.
