New York Medicaid Consolidation Risks Health Insurance Access for Home Care Workers
New York State's decision to consolidate the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) payroll services under a single fiscal intermediary, Public Partnerships Limited (PPL), has introduced significant challenges for thousands of home care workers' health insurance coverage. Previously, hundreds of private FIs managed CDPAP payroll, many without providing health insurance.
PPL's strategy automatically enrolls workers in a minimal essential coverage (MEC) plan at a cost deducted from wages, which offers very limited benefits, or an optional but costly Bronze-level plan with high deductibles that disqualifies workers from New York's more comprehensive and affordable ACA marketplace plans like the Essential Plan.