CDPAP Resources

Browse videos, guides, and other materials on navigating consumer direction with PPL. 

PPL@Home is the online system personal assistants (PAs) and consumers use to register with PPL, manage their information and authorizations, and view the status of timesheets.

Time4Care is PPL’s highly rated mobile app for PAs and consumers to manage their time and pay. Time4Care can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store depending on your device. More information on Time4Care is available in the Timekeeping section below.  

PPL offers multiple timekeeping options to accommodate the different needs of CDPAP consumers and personal assistants while maintaining electronic visit verification (EVV) compliance. A full guide to entering and approving time is available here in English and here in Spanish.     

Time4Care is PPL’s electronic visit verification (EVV) mobile app that personal assistants use to clock in and out of their shifts, view pay information, and manage their time. Consumers use Time4Care to approve time for their PAs.  

Calling in to PPL’s telephony system is the other EVV-compliant way for PAs to clock in and out of shifts. Entries must be submitted and approved via the phone number the consumer registered with in PPL@Home.  

In certain cases, consumers and personal assistants may request an exception to use paper timesheets. Whenever possible, an EVV compliant timesheet submission is required. Exceptions to this can be requested through completing PPL’s exception form. 

This option is available for those who meet the below criteria and their case manager verifies:  

• Consumers and/or personal assistants are unable to use electronic timekeeping due to sincerely held religious beliefs.  

• The consumer does not have access to the internet and does not have a landline telephone in their residence.

• There is another exceptional circumstance that prevents a consumer/DR or PA from using an electronic method of timekeeping. 

Paper timesheets can be requested by calling 1-833-247-5346 or submitting an exception form via fax, mail, or email.   

• Mail: PO Box 310, Binghamton, NY 13902  

• Fax: 1-844-244-4384   

• Email: NYCDPAP_TS@pplfirst.com

Consumers and designated representatives can approve time entered in either Time4Care or PPL@Home through their PPL@Home dashboard. PPL@Home is not an EVV-compliant method for PAs to enter their time.  

Guide: Approving Time in PPL@Home for Consumers

• In your PPL@Home dashboard, go to the Timesheet tab 

• Click or tap View to see the shifts that were entered and submitted by the PA 

• If everything is correct, hit the approve button; if anything is incorrect, hit the reject button  

• Rejecting the timesheet will prompt the PA to correct and resubmit the timesheet for approval 

 

Guide: Approving Time in PPL@Home for Designated Representatives

• In your PPL@Home dashboard, go to the Associated Consumers tab 

• Click or tap Manage Consumer — this will take you to the consumer’s dashboard 

• Go to the Timesheet tab 

• Click or tap View to see the shifts that were entered and submitted by the PA 

• If everything is correct, hit the approve button; if anything is incorrect, hit the reject button  

• Rejecting the timesheet will prompt the PA to correct and resubmit the timesheet for approval 

When clocking out of a shift, be sure to save your time before exiting the timekeeping system. If you are clocking in and out through the Time4Care app, tap “End Time,” then “Submit,” then “Ok” to save and submit your time. If using telephony, listen to the system when it asks if the current end date and time is accurate. If the date and time are correct, you must press 1 to save the entry.

When using a manual timekeeping option such as telephony or paper timesheet, it is important that you carefully track each shift. Information that should be tracked each day includes:

• The date
• Clock in and clock out times
• Total hours worked
• Name of the consumer/personal assistant
• Type of service provided

Recording this information will help make sure you are using your authorized hours correctly and that you are paid the right amount. It will also reduce the need for corrections.

Device-Specific Clocking: PAs should consistently use the same device to clock in and out. The clock operates on the device itself, not the system, which explains any display or shift issues experienced when using multiple devices.

Timesheet Approval Limitations: Consumers can only approve or deny timesheets submitted through the same medium. For example, timesheets entered via IVR Telephony are not accessible in Time4Care (T4C), meaning IVR-entered timesheets cannot be approved through T4C.

• Time shifts entered via PPL@Home or IVR telephony will not be displayed in the Time4Care mobile app. However, PAs should not submit duplicate shifts in the mobile app, as consumers can approve telephony-submitted timesheets directly through PPL@Home and telephony platforms.

Time4Care automatically splits overnight shifts that go past midnight into two time entries. To edit an overnight shift in Time4Care, please delete both parts of the overnight shift and complete a new manual entry with the correct times for your shift. If your new manual entry crosses midnight, Time4Care will split your shift for you between days.

If multiple PAs are working for a consumer, only one can be on the clock at a time. When one PA finishes their shift and another PA takes over, the first PA must clock out before the next PA clocks in. This prevents overlapping time, which can lead to pended (delayed) timesheets.

PAs are paid weekly, on Thursdays, via direct deposit or paper check, based on their chosen method. For time submitted by the payroll deadline of Saturday at 11:59 p.m. ET, PAs will be paid on Thursday of the following week. A copy of the PPL pay schedule can be found here.  

If you requested direct deposit, please be aware that your first paycheck  may  be a paper check. As a standard practice, PPL verifies that your banking information is accurate prior to payroll. If you submitted a direct deposit form at least 5 days before the payroll date and your banking information was confirmed to be correct, you will receive an electronic deposit. If you submitted your direct deposit form within less than 5 days of the payroll or we could not confirm the information with your bank, you will receive a paper check until your banking information is confirmed. 

Guide: Understanding PPL Payroll

If you do not receive payment via direct deposit or a paper check on Thursday, the chart below lists some of the reasons why this may have happened. You can also see the status of in-process and processed payrolls by logging in to PPL@Home and navigating to the Timesheet tab.  

Under Actions, click View to view your time entries and the status. If the Status is “Good to Pay,” and Processing Status is “Ready for payment,” your payment will be processed in the next payroll. If the processing status says, “Sent to Payroll,” that means payroll is in process with our payroll provider and you will be receiving payment on the next pay date.

If your processing status says “Pended,” that means something is preventing your payroll from processing and needs to be resolved. Click the hyperlinked text to find out why the payment is pending.    

See the chart below for the different error codes associated with pended payments and how to resolve them.  

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Approving PA timesheets is an important part of consumer direction. This verifies that the time the PA submitted is accurate. In CDPAP, consumers must approve their PAs’ timesheets no later than 12 p.m. (noon) ET every Sunday. PA timesheets must be submitted for approval by Saturdays at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

PPL offers four ways to approve timesheets. It is recommended for Consumers to use the same method to approve time as the PA used to submit time.  

1. Download the Time4Care app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. 

2. Log in using your PPL@Home credentials. 

3. Go to your dashboard in the Time4Care app. 

4. On your dashboard, you will see all time entries from your PAs that are waiting for your approval. You can either tap the individual entries or “View All” to see all of the entries. 

5. You will be brought to the list view where you can view all entries awaiting your approval. To select multiple entries, tap the radio buttons to the right of each entry you would like to approve or reject, or tap “Select All” to select all entries. 

6. If you select multiple entries, you will be able to approve or reject the batch directly from the list view. 

7. If you tap a single entry, you will be brought to a new screen where you can confirm that the shift entered by your PA is accurate. 

8. If the entry looks correct, you can tap “Approve.” You will then see a pop-up confirming the entry has been approved. 

9. If the entry looks incorrect for any reason, you can tap “Reject.” This will bring you to a new screen where you can select the reason(s) why the entry was rejected. 

10. After you have tapped on the reason(s) you are rejecting the time entry, tap the “Reject” button. You will see a pop-up confirming the entry has been successfully rejected. 

11. Your PA will see any approved or rejected entries in their own Time4Care dashboard. If an entry has been rejected, your PA can edit the rejected entry and resubmit it for your approval.  

1. Log in to PPL@Home with your email address or mobile number.  

2. In your PPL@Home dashboard, go to the “Timesheet” tab. 

3. Click or tap “View” to see the shifts that were entered and submitted by the PA. 

4. If everything is correct, hit the approve button; if anything is incorrect, hit the reject button.  

5. Rejecting the timesheet will prompt the PA to correct and resubmit the timesheet for approval. 

1. Log in to PPL@Home with your email address or mobile number.  

2. In your PPL@Home dashboard, go to the “Associated Consumers” tab. 

3. Click or tap “Manage Consumer” — this will take you to the consumer’s dashboard. 

4. Go to the Timesheet tab. 

5. Click or tap “View” to see the shifts that were entered and submitted by the PA 

6. If everything is correct, hit the “Approve” button; if anything is incorrect, hit the “Reject” button. 

7. Rejecting the timesheet will prompt the PA to correct and resubmit the timesheet for approval. 

1. Dial 1-833-278-3959.  

2. Select option 2 to indicate you are the consumer calling to review submitted time. 

3. Enter your 8-digit date of birth. For example, if you were born on July 1, 1998, you would enter 07011998.  

4. Enter just the numbers from your PPL ID (do not include the letters “PRC-NY”). 

5. Listen to the details of the PAs you are associated with. 

6. Select the number that corresponds to the PA you are calling to approve time for. For example, “Press 1 for Jane Doe.” “Press 2 for John Smith.” 

7. Listen to the details of each shift submitted for your review.  

8. Select the shift for approval. 

9. To approve a shift, select 1. To reject, select 2. To hear the details again, select 3.  

10. If shifts are approved, the call will end. If rejected, you will be prompted to select one of the following reasons for the rejection: 

• 1 if hours worked are inaccurate.  

• 2 if days worked are inaccurate.  

• 3 for other.  

11. Select 1 to confirm the reason you selected is correct, or two to reselect the reason.  

1. Fill out one paper timesheet per PA 

2. Sign and date the timesheet using blue or black ink 

3. Submit completed timesheets via fax, email, or physical mail: 

• Mail: PO Box 310, Binghamton, NY 13902  

• Fax: 1-844-244-4384   

• Email: NYCDPAP_TS@pplfirst.com

CDPAP personal assistants have several health benefit options through PPL. 

PAs working more than 130 hours per month have the choice of enrolling in PPL’s SecureHealth Plan, which provides comprehensive coverage. 

Personal assistants in the downstate regions — Nassau, Suffolk, New York, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Bronx, and Westchester counties — are automatically enrolled in the PPL BasicWellness Plan, which covers basic preventive care, and the PPL Flex Benefit Plan (also called Flex Card), which helps cover various healthcare-related expenses. The PPL Flex Benefit Plan allows your employer to contribute to eligible medical expenses in a set amount for each hour you work. This plan also allows you to elect other optional benefits, such as transit and dependent care. 

There are no monthly premium costs to the personal assistant to be enrolled in the BasicWellness Plan.  

PAs working less than 130 hours per month can explore health insurance options through NY State of Health by calling 1-855-355-5777 or visiting  https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov. 

• PPL HR Hotline: 1-833-746-8283  

• Frequently Asked Questions: CDPAP Caregiver Healthcare Benefit Options Offered by PPL  

Question:  What healthcare coverage will I receive when I join PPL?

Answer: If you work more than 130 hours a month, you will have the option to enroll in PPL’s SecureHealth Plan.

If you work within the boroughs of NYC or the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, or Westchester, you will automatically receive PPL’s BasicWellness Plan, which covers preventive care, and the PPL Flex Benefit card, which helps pay for healthcare expenses. The BasicWellness plan will not affect your eligibility for any other health insurance. 

Question: How do I get health insurance coverage if I work less than 130 hours a month?

Answer: Call NY State of Health at 1-855-355-5777 or visit NY State of Health to find out your options.

Question: What is the PPL BasicWellness Plan?

Answer: This is a wellness plan that covers basic preventive care such as vaccinations and screenings and offers financial relief for critical Illness diagnosis and off-the-job accidents. This plan is not intended to replace other insurance coverage you may have, but it can work in addition to it by helping with certain costs that your primary insurance may not fully cover. 

Question: Does the BasicWellness Plan cover prescription drugs?

Answer: The BasicWellness Plan covers a variety of drugs mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). These include:

• Contraceptives: Pills, patches, injections, and devices like diaphragms and cervical caps.
• Preventive Medications: Aspirin for certain age groups, folic acid for women, and iron supplements for infants.
• Vaccinations: Flu shots, hepatitis vaccines, and other immunizations.
• Screening Medications: Drugs used in screenings for conditions like high cholesterol and certain cancers.
• Smoking Cessation: Medications like Chantix and bupropion

These prescription drugs are covered at no cost to the insured individual under the BasicWellness Plan.

Question: Will the PPL BasicWellness Plan affect my other health insurance?

Answer: No, it won’t affect your eligibility for other health insurance. If you are receiving services from a healthcare provider that are not considered preventive under the BasicWellness Plan, your other insurance will be billed for those services. If you aren’t sure about whether a service is covered under the BasicWellness Plan, you can provide both your BasicWellness Plan card information and your other insurance card information to your provider.

Question: Will I be automatically enrolled in the PPL BasicWellness Plan if I don’t work within the boroughs of NYC or the counties of Nassau, Suffolk or Westchester?

Answer: No, the BasicWellness Plan only applies in New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester.

Question: Will the PPL Flex Card Plan affect my other health insurance?

Answer: No, it won’t affect your eligibility for other health insurance.

Question: What is the PPL Flex Card Plan?

Answer: It’s a plan where PPL puts money on a Flex Visa Card, for every hour you work, to use for medical expenses or to pay for other eligible expenses like transit and dependent care.

Question: Will I be automatically enrolled in the PPL Flex Benefit Plan if I don’t live in downstate wage parity regions?

Answer: No, the PPL Flex Benefit Plan only applies in New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester.

Question: Will I have full health insurance coverage with just the PPL BasicWellness Plan and Flex Card Plan?

Answer: No, the BasicWellness Plan only covers preventive care (screenings and immunizations) and offers financial relief for critical Illness diagnosis and off-the-job accidents. It won’t cover visits to treat injuries or illnesses.

Question: Can I use the PPL Flex Card to pay for health insurance premiums with other insurances?

Answer: No, the PPL Flex Card cannot be used to pay for health insurance premiums. It can only be used for certain eligible medical expenses, including deductibles, copayments, prescription drugs and coinsurance, as well as transit and dependent care.

Question: Can I use the PPL Flex Card to pay for medical expenses?

Answer: Yes, you can use it for things like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance, but not for health insurance premiums.

Question: How will Coordination of Benefits work with the PPL BasicWellness Plan?

Answer: Coordination of Benefits rules are set by each health insurance company. It is our understanding that if you have other health insurance coverage, your providers will need to bill the BasicWellness plan first only for the preventive services described above, and will not need to bill the BasicWellness plan first for services not covered by that plan. However, to be sure, you should contact your other insurance company and ask about their policies. In addition, if you aren’t sure about whether a service is covered under the BasicWellness Plan, you can provide both your BasicWellness Plan card information and your other insurance card information to your provider.

Question: Why is PPL offering this health insurance?

Answer: As a large employer, PPL must offer health insurance to full-time employees who work more than 130 hours a month.

Question: When do I become eligible for the PPL SecureHealth Plan?

Answer: You will become eligible for the PPL SecureHealth Plan after you work 130 hours in a month. Coverage will begin the month after you first worked 130 hours. Once you are eligible to enroll, you will receive a SecureHealth Plan welcome package in the mail.  After enrolling, your benefits will go into effect on the first day of the following month. 

Question: How does the PPL SecureHealth Plan affect my other health insurance?

Answer: If you are eligible to enroll in the PPL SecureHealth Plan, you might not be eligible for other health insurance like New York’s Essential Plan. It depends on if the cost of the SecureHealth Plan is more or less than 9% of your household income. Call NY State of Health at 1-855-355-5777 or visit NY State of Health to check your options.

Question: How will the PPL SecureHealth Plan affect my Medicaid coverage?

Answer: If you qualify for Medicaid, New York State will determine whether Medicaid or PPL’s SecureHealth Plan is the more cost-effective choice. If it is PPL’s Secure HealthPlan, Medicaid will pay for you to have the SecureHealth Plan. If Medicaid is the more cost-effective option, you will stay on your Medicaid plan.

Question: How do I get health insurance while waiting to be eligible for the SecureHealth Plan?

Answer: Waiting for the SecureHealth Plan doesn’t affect your eligibility for other health insurance. Call NY State of Health at 1-855-355-5777 or visit NY State of Health to find out your options. You can also ask your previous employer about the option to continue your previous coverage with COBRA.