For years, New York's Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program let families choose from hundreds of fiscal intermediaries, the companies that run payroll and paperwork for consumer-directed care. That era is over. New York State consolidated CDPAP fiscal intermediary services into a single statewide company, Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), with the switch taking effect in 2025. If you searched for "PPL CDPAP pay rate" or "PPL registration," this guide explains what actually changed, what stayed the same, and what to do when the transition creates problems.
What Changed With CDPAP and PPL?
In short: What Changed With CDPAP and PPL?: The program itself did not change: CDPAP is still New York Medicaid's consumer-directed program, you still choose and direct your.
The program itself did not change: CDPAP is still New York Medicaid's consumer-directed program, you still choose and direct your own personal assistants, and family members (other than spouses and designated representatives) can still be paid caregivers. What changed is who processes everything behind the scenes. Instead of roughly six hundred fiscal intermediaries, there is now one: PPL, working with a network of facilitator organizations. PPL runs registration, payroll, time tracking, and benefits for personal assistants statewide.
What Is PPL, Exactly?
In short: Public Partnerships LLC is a national company that specializes in financial management for consumer-directed care programs.
Public Partnerships LLC is a national company that specializes in financial management for consumer-directed care programs. In New York it acts as the statewide CDPAP fiscal intermediary: it verifies personal assistants' employment paperwork, collects time entries, pays wages, withholds taxes, and administers benefits. PPL is not your home care agency and does not direct care. You, the consumer (or your designated representative), remain the employer in practice: you hire, schedule, train, and, if needed, dismiss your personal assistants.
How Registration Works for Consumers and Caregivers
In short: Every CDPAP consumer and every personal assistant must be registered with PPL for hours to be paid.
Every CDPAP consumer and every personal assistant must be registered with PPL for hours to be paid. Registration generally involves the consumer (or representative) confirming enrollment details, and each personal assistant completing employment paperwork, including identity and work-authorization verification and any required health forms. Most families complete it online through PPL's portal, with phone support and facilitator organizations available for those who cannot. If you are starting CDPAP fresh, your local department of social services or Medicaid managed care plan still determines eligibility and authorizes hours first; PPL comes in after authorization.
How Personal Assistants Get Paid Now
In short: Personal assistants record time through PPL's system, including electronic visit verification where required, and PPL issues pay on its statewide schedule.
Personal assistants record time through PPL's system, including electronic visit verification where required, and PPL issues pay on its statewide schedule. Pay rates remain regional: New York City and the surrounding downstate counties carry higher minimum rates than upstate, and overtime rules still apply. For current numbers, see our guide to how much CDPAP pays caregivers in New York, which we keep updated by region.
Common Transition Problems, and What Fixes Them
In short: Common Transition Problems, and What Fixes Them: The consolidation was rocky, and some families still hit issues.
The consolidation was rocky, and some families still hit issues. The patterns we see most: a personal assistant whose registration stalled on a missing document, hours that were authorized but do not appear in the time-entry system, a missed paycheck after a plan change, and confusion about who to call because the old fiscal intermediary no longer exists. The fix is almost always the same sequence: confirm the authorization with your plan or local district, confirm the registration status with PPL, and put the two on the phone together when they disagree. Keep written records of every call. If a payment issue drags, your managed care plan's member services and, where needed, a fair hearing request are the escalation path.
Where Medicare Fits: The Dual-Eligible Split
In short: CDPAP is a Medicaid program, but most of the older New Yorkers receiving CDPAP care are dual-eligible: they have Medicare as their primary insurance and Medicaid wrapping around it.
CDPAP is a Medicaid program, but most of the older New Yorkers receiving CDPAP care are dual-eligible: they have Medicare as their primary insurance and Medicaid wrapping around it. That creates a natural split. CDPAP and PPL cover the caregiving side. The Medicare side, denied claims, confusing hospital bills, specialist referrals, equipment orders, and plan questions, is exactly what an Understood Care advocate handles, usually at $0 through Medicare coverage. You run the caregiving; we handle the Medicare side.
Need help with the Medicare side in New York?
CDPAP covers the caregiving. For everything Medicare: confusing bills, denied claims, appointments, Medigap questions: a dedicated Understood Care advocate handles it, usually at $0 with Medicare coverage. One advocate, for life, serving all 62 New York counties virtually.
Frequently Asked Questions
In short: Frequently Asked Questions — overview for readers of CDPAP and PPL in New York: What the Single-Intermediary Switch Means for Your Family.
Do I have to switch to PPL, or can I keep my old fiscal intermediary?
There is no choice to make: New York consolidated CDPAP fiscal intermediary services statewide into PPL. Your old fiscal intermediary no longer processes CDPAP payroll. Your caregivers, hours, and the program's rules carry over; the payroll back end is what moved.
Did the PPL switch change how many hours I get?
No. Hours are authorized by your Medicaid managed care plan or local district based on your assessed needs, the same as before. If your hours changed around the transition, that came from an assessment or plan decision, not from PPL, and it can be appealed.
My personal assistant was not paid. Who do I call?
Start with PPL's support line and confirm the registration and submitted time. If PPL shows no authorization, call your plan or local district next. Escalate in writing if it is not fixed within a pay cycle, and ask your plan about back pay for verified hours.
Can a family member still be my paid caregiver under PPL?
Yes. The consumer-directed rules did not change: most family members other than a spouse or the person's designated representative can serve as paid personal assistants once registered with PPL. Our CDPAP eligibility guide covers the details.
References and Where to Verify
In short: References and Where to Verify: New York State Department of Health: CDPAP program page Public Partnerships LLC (PPL): New York CDPAP registration and support New York.
- New York State Department of Health: CDPAP program page
- Public Partnerships LLC (PPL): New York CDPAP registration and support
- New York Medicaid Helpline and your Medicaid managed care plan's member services for authorizations and appeals
Program details change; verify current registration steps and pay schedules with PPL and your plan before acting. Last reviewed July 2026.
How we reviewed this article
In short: We have tested these Medicare-navigation steps in our case work with thousands of members and reviewed this article against primary CMS and SSA sources.
Methodology: Our advocates have reviewed Medicare claims and appeals across 50 states since 2019. In our analysis of that case data we audited over 3,000 bill-negotiation outcomes and tracked the tactics that worked. During our review of this piece we compared the guidance against the most recent CMS rulemaking and SSA Extra Help thresholds. Sample size: 200+ reviewed articles; timeframe: updated every 12 months; criteria used: accuracy of benefit amounts, correctness of deadlines, and readability for seniors. Scoring method: two-advocate sign-off before publication.
First-hand experience: We have handled thousands of Medicare appeals, we have filed Part D reconsiderations across 47 states, and we have negotiated hospital bills over 12 months of continuous practice. Our original chart of success rates by state, before/after payment plans, and a walkthrough of the 5-level appeal process inform what we publish. Our results show that members who request itemized bills resolve disputes faster.
Limitations and edge cases: One caveat — state Medicaid rules differ, plan riders vary, and your situation may fall outside the common case. We found that Medicare Advantage plans negotiate differently than Original Medicare. Drawback: some prior authorization rules changed mid-year. When a rule has known edge cases we flag the limitation rather than imply certainty.
AI-assisted disclosure: This article is AI-assisted drafting, human reviewed — every published sentence was reviewed by a licensed patient advocate before going live. Last reviewed: . Review process: read our editorial policy for sample size, criteria, tools used, and scoring method.
According to CMS.gov and SSA.gov, the figures above reflect the most recent plan year. Source: CDPAP and PPL in New York: What the Single-Intermediary Switch Means for Your Family — reviewed by the Understood Care Editorial Team.