by Erin Vallely
About 250,000 New Yorkers receive personal care services through the Medicaid Consumer Directed Personal Assistance program. This program allows people with long-standing illnesses or disabilities to recruit, hire, train, supervise and terminate their own caregivers. Caregivers have historically been paid by a local fiscal intermediary close to the client’s home, but Governor Hochul is changing that. Going forward, all clients will be forced to switch to one fiscal intermediary that manages every case throughout the state. The new statewide fiscal intermediary is called Public Partnerships, LLC.
Information about Public Partnerships, LLC
Public Partnerships, LLC has been serving consumers and their aides for 25 years and they work with 50 programs across 21 states. They are solely dedicated to consumer directed services. Public Partnerships, LLC is not based in New York, but they said they are going to hire 1,200 New Yorkers to serve consumers and aides and are going to open offices across the state.
It is important to know that there have been many complaints about Public Partnerships, LLC in other states. For example, they have lost or had contracts terminated managing similar home care programs in New Jersey, Washington, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee. Complaints of confusing transitions, delayed payment, financial mismanagement, and a lack of stable leadership have been verified in many states.
Important Information about the Change
On or after January 6th, clients will receive a letter in the mail from Public Partnerships, LLC with directions about how to switch from their current fiscal intermediary to them. Aides will also have to switch their employment to Public Partnerships, LLC so they can keep working with their clients and get paid. Clients receiving services and aides must begin the process of switching to Public Partnerships, LLC by March 1st to ensure there is not a gap in care and/or pay.
Switching to Public Partnerships, LLC should only impact who pays people’s aides. Client care plans and the number of care hours they get should not change. Additionally, aides pay will be the same as it was before. We do not have information about insurance and other benefits aides may have had access to through their local fiscal intermediary.
While people’s services and pay should not change, people will have to follow Public Partnerships, LLC rules. Clients will have to follow their self-direction rules and responsibilities. Aides will have to follow their rules about employment and requirements. We do not know what the rules will be yet.
You can stay with your current fiscal intermediary until the end of March. After March 28th, your local fiscal intermediary will be unable to manage your case because New York state will not let them serve you.
Get Involved!
Although this change might feel scary, it’s important to get more information and advocate for yourself during this change. Here’s some resources that can help you get started.
- Watch a webinar about the transition to Public Partnerships, LLC at https://pplfirst.com/cdpap-resources-events/
- To get more information about how to switch to Public Partnerships, LLC or ask questions, you can call or email them at 1-833-247-5346 (TTY: 1-833-204-9042) or nycdpap@pplfirst.com
- If you have problems with or complaints about Public Partnerships, LLC, contact Governor Hochul right away https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
If you have questions about the information above or have questions about getting involved in advocacy, please contact ATI at 607-753-7363 or by email at info@aticortland.org.