New York dementia caregivers now use one statewide CDPAP administrator for pay and paperwork, while new applicants face stricter functional tests. Families already enrolled keep earlier eligibility rules, but new dementia applicants qualify under a lower supervision standard. CDPAP means Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. It lets the consumer or a designated family representative hire and direct home aides.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- Who handles CDPAP pay now?
- Do current families face new eligibility tests?
- How does dementia qualify differently?
- How can a family member direct care?
Who handles CDPAP pay now?
The NYS Department of Health replaced hundreds of fiscal intermediaries with Public Partnerships LLC, called PPL, as the only authorized CDPAP payroll administrator effective April 1, 2025, described in the statewide intermediary policy. Families no longer choose among local intermediaries for payroll. All timesheets, wage payments, and program administration now flow through PPL.
The NYS Department of Health required existing consumers and assistants to register with PPL by March 28, 2025. The agency reported about 255,000 consumers had acted by March 31. On Oct. 23, 2025, the agency announced that the Appellate Division, First Department upheld its contract award to PPL.
Do current families face new eligibility tests?
The NYS Department of Health applies its Minimum Needs Requirement only to people seeking initial eligibility. People already assessed, authorized, or continuously enrolled in Managed Long Term Care keep legacy status under earlier criteria. Starting Sept.
1, 2025, new adult applicants for personal care or CDPAP must meet the new functional test, explained in the Minimum Needs policy. The general adult standard requires limited assistance with physical maneuvering for more than two activities of daily living. Current caregivers do not requalify under that test unless they leave the program and reapply.
How does dementia qualify differently?
Applicants with a dementia or Alzheimer's diagnosis face a lower entry threshold. They must need at least supervision with more than one activity of daily living, rather than physical help with more than two.
Supervision means cueing, monitoring, or prompting for safety, not lifting or hands-on help. A person who needs reminders to bathe safely and to dress in sequence could meet the dementia test while missing the general test. New applicants age 18 and older complete a community health assessment and clinical visit through the NY Independent Assessor, operated by Maximus, to set eligibility and hours.
How can a family member direct care?
CDPAP requires the consumer to be self-directing or to name a designated representative. That representative hires, trains, schedules, and supervises assistants, which is how adult children and spouses legally manage care for dementia. For families applying before 2027, practical order matters: Legal context is still active.
The U.S. Department of Justice sued NY DOH, the state Medicaid director, and PPL on June 16, 2026 over alleged bid and billing fraud in the $10 billion program, described in the federal complaint announcement. That case is litigation, not a finding, so caregivers should save assessment letters and PPL confirmations for each aide.
- Confirm whether the person is a new applicant or holds legacy enrollment
- Complete the Independent Assessor evaluation and clinical appointment if new
- Name one representative with authority to hire, train, schedule, and supervise
- Keep PPL enrollment, aide assignments, and hour authorizations current
