Get Paid to Care for Your Elderly Parent in New York
Yes, New York pays family caregivers $18–$22/hour through CDPAP (Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program), one of the highest family caregiver pay rates in the country. Your parent must be enrolled in NY Medicaid and qualify for personal care services. Adult children and friends (not spouses) can be paid. Enrollment now goes through a single statewide fiscal intermediary, Public Partnerships LLC (PPL).
New York's CDPAP program is widely regarded as one of the best family caregiver payment programs in the United States. It gives Medicaid recipients genuine control over their care, including the right to hire the people they trust most, which means you.
CDPAP went through significant structural changes in 2024 when New York consolidated all program processing through a single statewide fiscal intermediary. While the transition caused disruption, the program continues and the high pay rates remain. If you're caring for a New York parent, understanding these changes is essential.
What Is CDPAP?
CDPAP stands for Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. It is a New York Medicaid benefit that allows individuals who need home care to hire, train, supervise, and if necessary fire their own personal assistants, including family members and friends. The recipient (your parent) is the employer of record; you are the employee.
Unlike traditional home care where an agency assigns workers, CDPAP puts your parent in control. They decide who provides care, what tasks are performed, and when. This flexibility is what makes CDPAP so valuable for families where an adult child is the natural caregiver.
CDPAP covers a wide range of services that your parent might already need:
- Personal care: bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, transfers
- Skilled nursing tasks: wound care, medication administration, catheter care, injections (tasks normally requiring a nurse, if the consumer can direct them)
- Domestic services: meal preparation, light housekeeping, laundry
- Health maintenance tasks as directed by the consumer
Unlike most state programs, CDPAP allows personal assistants (including family members) to perform skilled nursing tasks, like administering medications, wound care, or operating medical equipment, under the consumer's direction, without nursing licensure. This is a significant advantage for parents with complex medical needs.
The 2024–2026 CDPAP Changes: What You Need to Know
In 2024, New York State made major changes to how CDPAP is administered. Previously, over 600 independent fiscal intermediaries (FIs) across the state processed CDPAP payroll and compliance. A state law consolidated all CDPAP processing through a single statewide FI, Public Partnerships LLC (PPL).
Key facts about the current system:
- All CDPAP payroll goes through PPL. All timesheets are submitted via PPL's portal or phone system.
- Enrollment paperwork goes to PPL. You and your parent complete enrollment documents through PPL, not a local FI.
- Prior authorizations still come from Medicaid plans. Your parent's Managed Care plan (or county DSS for fee-for-service Medicaid) still approves hours.
- The program structure hasn't fundamentally changed: just the administrative processing entity.
Contact PPL at 1-833-247-5346 or visit pplfirst.com for enrollment assistance.
Does Your Parent Qualify for CDPAP?
New York Medicaid Eligibility
Your parent must be enrolled in New York Medicaid. In 2026, eligibility limits for elderly New Yorkers include:
- Income: Generally at or below $1,732/month for a single individual (this is the SSI-related Medicaid limit; NY Medicaid uses the federal poverty level for most community Medicaid programs)
- Assets: New York eliminated the Medicaid asset test for most community-based Medicaid in 2023 under state legislation. Seniors applying for community Medicaid are no longer subject to a resource (asset) limit. This is a major change that makes NY Medicaid far more accessible than most states.
- Residency: New York resident with qualifying immigration status
As of 2023, New York eliminated the asset test for community-based Medicaid. This means your parent can qualify for CDPAP even with significant savings or investments, as long as their income is within limits. This is one of the most favorable Medicaid rules in the country, and a major reason why CDPAP reaches so many New York families.
Medical Eligibility
Your parent must have a medical need for personal care services as determined by an assessment. The assessment is typically conducted by the Medicaid Managed Care plan or by the local Department of Social Services. The assessment covers ADL dependencies, cognitive status, and medical complexity.
Consumer Direction Capacity
Your parent (or their designated representative) must be able to direct their own care, meaning they understand what services they need and can supervise a caregiver. If your parent has cognitive impairment, a designated representative (which can be you) can fulfill this role on their behalf.
How Much Will You Get Paid?
CDPAP pay rates in New York are among the highest in the country for family caregivers, driven by New York's high minimum wages and Medicaid reimbursement rates:
- New York City (5 boroughs): approximately $20.00–$22.00/hr
- Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester counties: approximately $19.00–$21.00/hr
- Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse: approximately $18.00–$19.50/hr
- Rural upstate counties: approximately $18.00–$18.75/hr
Hours are authorized based on your parent's assessed care needs. Recipients with significant ADL dependencies and medical needs may receive 40–80 or more hours per week of authorized CDPAP. At $20/hr for 40 hours/week, a family caregiver earns approximately $3,200/month, before the tax-free potential if you live with your parent.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step
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Enroll in New York Medicaid
Apply through the NY State of Health marketplace at nystateofhealth.ny.gov, through the local Department of Social Services, or by calling 1-855-355-5777. Given New York's eliminated asset test, more families now qualify than before. -
Enroll in a Medicaid Managed Care Plan
Most New York Medicaid recipients are enrolled in a managed care plan (Fidelis Care, Healthfirst, EmblemHealth, etc.). Your parent should request enrollment in a plan that offers CDPAP. Not all plans process CDPAP the same way, confirm CDPAP availability when selecting a plan. -
Request a Personal Care Assessment
Contact your parent's Medicaid Managed Care plan and request a CDPAP assessment. The plan sends a registered nurse to assess your parent's care needs and functional limitations. Be present and provide detailed information about what your parent cannot do independently. -
Receive Authorization
The plan issues an authorization for a specific number of CDPAP hours per week. If the authorized hours seem too low for your parent's actual needs, you can appeal the decision through the plan's grievance process or request a fair hearing. -
Initiate CDPAP Enrollment with PPL
Your parent or designated representative contacts PPL (Public Partnerships LLC) at 1-833-247-5346 to initiate enrollment. PPL sends both your parent and you enrollment paperwork. PPL's website at pplfirst.com also has enrollment resources. -
Complete Personal Assistant (PA) Enrollment
You complete PA enrollment paperwork including I-9, W-4, background check authorization, and PPL-specific forms. Processing typically takes 2–3 weeks. You cannot be paid retroactively before enrollment is complete. -
Begin Providing Care and Submit Timesheets
Once enrollment is confirmed, begin care and submit electronic timesheets through PPL's portal or phone system every two weeks. Direct deposit payments typically arrive within a week of timesheet approval.
Other Programs for New York Caregivers
Managed Long Term Care (MLTC)
For New York Medicaid recipients who need long-term home care (more than 120 days), enrollment in a Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plan is required. MLTC plans coordinate all home care services including CDPAP. The MLTC enrollment process triggers the CDPAP authorization process.
VA Veteran-Directed Care
New York veterans enrolled in VA healthcare at VA medical centers in New York City, Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, or other NY VA facilities may qualify for Veteran-Directed Care. A monthly care budget allows the veteran to hire and pay family caregivers, separate from and in addition to CDPAP. Contact your parent's VA social worker to inquire.
VA Aid and Attendance
New York veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for VA Aid and Attendance pension benefits of $1,000–$2,300/month. Free assistance applying is available through the VFW, American Legion, and DAV. In New York City, the NYC Department of Veterans' Services also provides free assistance.
Caregiver Agreement (Private Pay)
If your parent's income exceeds Medicaid limits or they prefer not to use Medicaid, a formal written Caregiver Agreement at fair market rates allows your parent to pay you privately. New York has robust elder law resources, the NY State Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service can connect you with an elder law attorney.
Tax Implications for CDPAP Workers
CDPAP personal assistants receive a W-2 from PPL. Key tax points for New York caregivers:
- Federal income tax: Withheld by PPL based on your W-4
- New York state income tax: New York has income tax rates of 4%–10.9% depending on income level
- New York City residents: NYC also imposes its own income tax (3.078%–3.876%) on top of state tax
- FICA taxes: Social Security and Medicare are withheld
- Live-in provider exclusion: If you live with your parent, IRS Notice 2014-7 may exclude CDPAP income from federal (and potentially state) income tax. Consult a tax professional, this can be worth several thousand dollars annually given NY's high rates.
Estimate Your Parent's Care Costs
Our free calculator helps you understand CDPAP income potential and New York care cost options.
Use the Care Cost CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. CDPAP is specifically designed to let Medicaid recipients hire the people they trust, including adult children, siblings, friends, and neighbors, as paid personal assistants. The recipient controls who provides care. Spouses and legally responsible relatives are generally excluded, but adult children are eligible.
CDPAP pay ranges from approximately $18 to $22+ per hour depending on location. New York City and surrounding counties (Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester) pay the highest rates. Upstate counties pay at the lower end. Rates are tied to NY's minimum wage schedule and Medicaid reimbursement rates, and increase when minimum wages rise.
New York consolidated all CDPAP payroll processing through a single statewide fiscal intermediary, Public Partnerships LLC (PPL), replacing the hundreds of local FIs that previously operated. This caused significant disruption during the transition but has stabilized. All CDPAP timesheets and enrollment now go through PPL at 1-833-247-5346 or pplfirst.com.
Spouses and legally responsible relatives are generally not eligible to be paid CDPAP workers. Adult children who are not the legally responsible relative can be paid. If you are the spouse of the CDPAP recipient, explore VA Veteran-Directed Care (if they're a veteran) and a formal Caregiver Agreement as alternative payment routes.
CDPAP hours are determined by your parent's Medicaid Managed Care plan based on a functional assessment. Hours can range from a few per day for minimal assistance needs to full-day or around-the-clock coverage for recipients with significant care needs. Many recipients receive 40–80+ hours per week. If hours seem insufficient, request a reassessment or appeal through the plan's grievance process.
CDPAP income is subject to federal income tax, New York state income tax, and FICA withholding. PPL issues a W-2 annually. However, if you live with your parent, IRS Notice 2014-7 may exclude your CDPAP income from federal income tax under the difficulty-of-care payment exclusion. Given New York's high tax rates, this exclusion can be worth thousands of dollars annually, consult a tax professional.
Yes. CDPAP is a Medicaid benefit. Your parent must be enrolled in New York Medicaid. The good news: New York eliminated the Medicaid asset test for community-based services in 2023, making it significantly easier for seniors to qualify even with savings or investments. Only income limits remain, consult a benefits counselor to confirm eligibility.
Ensure your parent is enrolled in New York Medicaid and a Medicaid Managed Care plan. Request a CDPAP assessment from the managed care plan. Once authorized, contact PPL at 1-833-247-5346 to begin enrollment. Both you and your parent complete PPL enrollment paperwork. Processing typically takes 3–5 weeks from start to first paycheck.