FAQ
What is family homecare?
Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), or Family homecare, is a program that allows eligible patients to have control over their home healthcare by hiring a caregiver of their choice to assist with daily activities who is then paid by Medicaid. The caregiver can be anyone a patient chooses – even a child, relative, neighbor or friend. This program provides a personally tailored alternative to traditional homecare, that allows patients to enjoy the comfort and the lifestyle they’re accustomed to in their own homes, under the care of someone they know and trust.
Who is CDPAP for?
CDPAP is available for Medicaid Patients who have physical disabilities and/or a chronic illness that leave them in need of in-home assistance with personal care tasks as determined by a qualified healthcare provider. CDPAP allows patients to choose who provides that care and has Medicaid pay caregivers for the service. That way, caregivers can devote themselves to caring for loved ones and patients without having to worry about supporting their own family.
Why do we need to protect family homecare?
Multiple studies have shown that patients have better health outcomes when they receive care at home from someone they know and trust. CDPAP provides patients with autonomy and control over their care decisions. It also lets them stay safely in their own homes and out of congregant settings like nursing homes, where they’re more likely to contract potentially deadly viruses and illnesses like COVID-19.
Albany wants to gut the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), which would disrupt the administration of care for 80 percent of CDPAP participants statewide if implemented. These changes would throw patients’ lives into chaos, and potentially endangering their health.
Vulnerable New Yorkers deserve the best possible care and the ability to make their own decisions about who provides that care to them and where. Cutting CDPAP will upend their lives, and the lives of their caretakers, potentially worsening the already significant home health labor shortage that was exacerbated by the COVID crisis.
How Does CDPAP Benefit New Yorkers & Their Communities?
The homecare industry is facing a significant labor shortage that has been exacerbated by the pandemic.
The 65+ population in the United States will grow from 50 million to 80 million individuals over next the several decades. This ballooning population will put additional strain on the already over-burdened homecare industry, further increasing demand for home healthcare aides and increasing the financial burden on the families who need to pay for that care.
In many upstate regions, patients struggle to access quality care due to a lack of licensed professional home care aides, nurses, and therapists. CDPAP lets patients hire trusted friends, neighbors, or family members to provide them with the assistance they need, keeping them out of nursing homes and preserving their independence.
CDPAP patients have the ability to manage their own schedule and tailor the care received to meet their unique needs and habits. The program also allows family members to care for their loved ones without worrying about the financial strain of having to miss or leave work.