For Immediate Release

August 29, 2019

Congressman Morelle and Assemblywoman Romeo Call

on State Health Dept. to Delay Program Cuts
CDPAP Allows Individuals with Disabilities to Stay in their Homes

(Rochester, NY) – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle and Assemblywoman Jamie Romeo released a joint letter
sent to New York State Health Department Officials, imploring the department to delay the implementation of
a new pay rate structure in the CDPAP, Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, set to take effect
September 1st. Despite ongoing litigation, the State Health Department has not indicated any intent to take
additional time with these programmatic changes as more individuals state their concerns.

The CDPAP allows for individuals with disabilities to hire personal care assistants of their choice to provide
support as they continue to live at home, with family and loved ones. A recent report from the Medicaid
Inspector General indicated that this program had problems with accountability and overbilling for services,
and recommended that New York State refund $75 million to the Federal Government. In response, the State
Health Department has attempted to make changes to the CDPAP to address these concerns. However, in
doing so they have left consumers, their loved ones, and businesses who manage assistants in the dark about
their future.

“When we voted for this year’s State Budget, changes to CDPAP were delayed so that a workgroup could be
formed in order to make recommendations regarding the program’s future. I was proud to have a constituent
appointed to this workgroup to represent the concerns of consumers and their families. Despite the concerns
raised by the workgroup, the Department of Health released a new rate schedule on July 1st .”
Assemblywoman Romeo stated. “While I appreciate the number of protections written into the statute to
protect consumers from disruption to their services and ability to make their own healthcare decisions, DOH
has done little to alleviate concerns about the potential disorder and confusion that could result from the
changes. I therefore once again call for DOH to delay implementation unitl they can adequately demonstrate
that consumers will not have their service interrupted.”

“The CDPAP program provides essential support and resources for individuals with disabilities and their
families here in Monroe County and across the state,” said Congressman Morelle. “These scheduled cuts will
have a profound and detrimental effect on families in need. That is why Assemblywoman Romeo and I are
urging the Department of Health to delay these implementations until the serious concerns raised by consumers
who rely on CDPAP for life-saving care are addressed.”

Their joint letter is attached with this release.

##