PPL Uncovers Fraud Risks in CDPAP and Works with State to Safeguard Program

New data shows consecutive days of 20+ hour shifts place personal assistants and consumers at risk due to excessive overtime, while risking taxpayers millions

Through essential program improvements, PPL is protecting participants and ensuring resources go to the people who need them

LATHAM, NEW YORK (September 15, 2025) – Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), the statewide fiscal intermediary for New York’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), today released new data revealing suspicious practices that had gone unchecked prior to PPL’s involvement and highlighting opportunities for strengthening program safeguards. By prioritizing safety for program participants and enhancing the integrity of CDPAP, PPL is protecting the New Yorkers who rely on the program, while identifying millions of dollars annually through fraud control measures.

Based on timesheets submitted over a 3-month period, PPL has identified CDPAP personal assistants (PAs) submitting timesheets denoting more than 20 hours of work for three or more consecutive days. This includes more than 1,000 PAs who have submitted more than 20 hours per day for between three and nine consecutive days and over 60 PAs who have logged more than 20 hours of work for 10 consecutive days or more. This pattern is unsustainable and may reflect not only waste, fraud, and abuse, but also instances where care was not appropriately provided.

Excluding consumers who have been approved for around-the-clock care, these hours translate to an annual Medicaid impact up to $10 million. PPL, in partnership with the New York Department of Health and the health plans, is actively reviewing these cases to identify the percentage of this spending that is attributed to abuse or fraud.

“Prior to the transition from 600 fiscal intermediaries to PPL as the centralized point of oversight, this type of targeted fraud detection was not possible, creating an unsustainable tax burden for New Yorkers and a potentially dangerous situation for CDPAP participants,” said Patty Byrnes, Vice President of Government Relations at PPL. “Now that the transition has come to a close, we are continuing to educate stakeholders on the rules, roles, and responsibilities in CDPAP to ensure this essential program is operating as intended. PPL remains committed to a safer and more sustainable CDPAP for its 236,000 PAs and 233,000 consumers.”

While not every case uncovered may constitute program abuse, these excessive hours may have not been provided to consumers according to the plan of care requirements and create unsafe conditions for both PAs and consumers, leading to exhaustion, reduced quality of care, and heightened risk of harm. PPL has identified this trend as a vulnerability and is working with consumers, PAs, the New York State Department of Health (DOH), the state’s health plans, and Local Departments of Social Services (LDSS) to further review each case. Timesheets showing more than 10 consecutive days of 20+ hour shifts are automatically flagged for further review to ensure accuracy and program compliance and to protect the health and safety of the consumer and PA.

As the sole statewide fiscal intermediary for CDPAP, PPL has implemented a centralized system, complete with unique personal assistant (PA) identifiers, electronic visit verification (EVV), and streamlined timekeeping processes. These measures have enabled the company to identify practices that previously put PAs and consumers at risk – ensuring New Yorkers in need receive the care and resources they deserve in a fiscally responsible manner.

By uncovering potential waste and abuse, enforcing accountability, and prioritizing the safety of consumers and PAs alike, PPL is ensuring that CDPAP remains a sustainable and trusted program for years to come. As the statewide fiscal intermediary, PPL plays an integral role in protecting taxpayer dollars, enforcing both CDPAP rules and federal Medicaid regulations, safeguarding care for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, and preserving the long-term viability of this essential program.

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About PPL

PPL supports consumers and caregivers across 50 self-direction programs in 20 states. The company has served its communities for 25 years and is wholly focused on consumer direction programs that help people have more control over their care and enable them to remain in their homes and communities. PPL has more than 2,000 team members that are dedicated to serving Medicaid and social services programs. The company’s headquarters are in Latham, New York with offices throughout the United States. To learn more about PPL, please visit pplfirst.com.