Introduction and NEWS ALERTS 

ALERT:  PA's who wish to change Health Insurance plans or enroll in one for the first time MUST ENROLL BY MAY 15th.  Those who were in the high-deductible SecureHealth bronze plan may want to change to the  lower-deductible SecureHealth Plus  silver plan.  See more here. 

BACKGROUND:  The 2024-25 NYS Budget required all 280,000 Medicaid recipients who have CDPAP services to switch their "Fiscal Intermediary" (FI") -- the agency that manages payroll and benefits for their Personal Assistants ("PA")-- to a "single FI" called Public Partnerships LLC or "PPL."   PPL contracts with MLTC plans, mainstream managed care plans, and  -- for those exempt from managed care -- county Dept. of Social Services (HRA in NYC).  The plans or DSS decide the number of hours of CDPAP to authorize, and the FI PPL pays the PA and administers benefits.  As the "single FI,"  PPL replaced the more than 600 FIs that previously handled payroll and benefits for all PAs in CDPAP. 

This article focuses on wages and benefits for Personal Assistants (PAs) employed by PPL.  

NYS Minimum Wage and Wage Parity Requirements - and PPL Pay Rates

Minimum Wage and PPL Wages

Beginning in 2017, the minimum wage for home care aides including CDPAP Personal Assistants (PA) has steadily increased under changes enacted in the Public Health Law Sec. 3614-f.  See NYS Dept. of Labor  Home Care Aide Minimum Wage Fact Sheet (P105) showing annual increases through 2026.    In 2026, the NYS minimum wage for CDPAP and other home care aides is

• $19.65 in New York City, Long Island, and  Westchester, and
• $18.65 in the rest of the state. 

PPL wages are on its website - click on Frequently Asked Questions and scroll down to PA Wages and Benefits. PPL says that in 2026 it pays more than the minimum wage - this is true in the Wage Parity areas of NYC, Long Island and Westchester but not the rest of the state. See below about Wage Parity.   2026 hourly rates per PPL website are:

• $20.65 in New York City 
• $20.05 in Long Island and Westchester
• $18.65 in the rest of the state. 

Wage Parity Law

In addition to the minimum wage law,  the NYS Wage Parity Law adds $2.54 to minimum wage in NYC and $1.67 in Nassau, Suffolk, & Westchester -- but  the employer may opt to pay the supplement in benefits instead of wages.   Public Health Law Sec. 3614-c.  The Wage Parity Law does not apply in the rest of the state.  PPL pays part of the Wage Parity supplement in wages - 40 cents/hour in Long Island and Westchester and $1/hour in NYC.  PPL pays most of Wage Parity through a package of health coverage and other benefits that are widely criticized as worse than offering nothing. The PA may not opt to receive cash instead of these benefits.  Two lawsuits are pending that claim, in part, that PPL is violating the Wage Parity law, overtime, and other requirements.  See here about the lawsuits.   

Likely in response to harsh criticism of the health insurance PPL originally offered in 2025, PPL has revised its health insurance and other offerings in 2026 as described below.  

Open Enrollment April 15 - May 15, 2026 - Health Plan Options for PAs. 

PPL announced changes in benefits beginning May 1, 2026 and Open Enrollment April 15, 2026 - May 15, 2026 - see https://pplfirst.com/cdpap-benefits-2026/ 

The information here is current starting May 1, 2026.  PA's already enrolled in health plans in 2026 may do nothing to remain in the same health plan.  Full-time PA's who are not enrolled in either health plan  must enroll or switch by May 15, 2026.   The link to the enrollment site is here.

1. PPL’s Anthem BasicWellness plan with a FlexCard – THIS PLAN IS BEING DISCONTINUED April 30, 2026 .  

This plan was only offered in the “Wage Parity” area including New York City, Long Island and Westchester - where it was mandatory for all workers both part-time and full-time (unless a full-time worker chose the SecureHealth plan).  This Plan covered only a few preventive services. PPL calls this coverage “free,” but workers’ Wage Parity dollars paid for it -   $0.87/hour in NYC or $1.03 in Westchester and Long Island.  Plan document here. (Note PPL changed the name of this plan from "Minimum Esential Coverage" (MEC) to BasicWellness).  

PPL allowed only Medicare beneficiaries to opt out of the MEC plan - banning others from opting out even when this plan interfered with other coverage from a spouse or a retiree plan.  Since this plan is ending April 30, 2026 - opt-out is no longer necessary for Medicare beneficiaries.  

•  May 1, 2026 changes

  • WELLNESS AND FLEX PLAN END.

  • Accrued Flex plan funds remain in account and may be spent later -- with $1/mo. admin fee charged until depleted. 

  • Wellness plan was a terrible non-health plan that covered only a few check-ups and was worse than no insurance.  Good riddance!

  • Wage Parity dollars will instead be deposited into a Retirement account.  See more here.   

2. Two Choices for Optional Health Insurance for FULL TIME workers statewide -- who work 130 hours/month or more (about 30 hours/week).

In 2026, PPL launched a second plan -- SecureHealthPlus -- as an alternative to the original SecureHealth plan that has been offered since PPL started in 2025.  The new plan has a lower deductible.  Both plans are now offered in 2026, described below. 

WARNING:   The mere eligibilty to enroll in either of the plans described below DISQUALIFIES PA from enrolling in the NYS Essential Plan, which provides comprehensive free coverage to single New Yorkers earning up to $31,920 (200% Federal Poverty Line -  income limit being reduced from 250% FPL starting July 1, 2026 -see here).  The State admitted  in this FAQ, that merely being offered the 2025 SecureHelth plan  disqualifies workers from the Essential Plan and from premium subsidies for Qualified Health Plans through the Affordable Care Act -- despite their low income -- even if they do not enroll in the PPL plan.  This is because this plan  is a "Minimum Value (MV) plan" under the Affordable Care Act.  The same appears to be true for the new 2026 SecureHealthPlus plan.  So low-wage workers who cannot afford the high premiums and deductibles of the PPL plans will have no health insurance.  PA's may face bankruptcy if they need significant treatment, skip treatment for chronic conditions, or be forced to find another job – leaving the consumer without care.

A.  PPL’s “Anthem SecureHealth Plus plan  (SILVER PLAN) was offered starting Jan. 2026. 

See 2026 Summary Plan Description and Summary of Benefits.  Also at  page 10 of Anthem Open Enrollment Guide

• Premium -- $254.66/month (higher than  2025 premium for SecureHealth plan - $212).   Employee + spouse   $173.25/weekly pay period (about $750.75/mo). 

• Deductible -- $2000 single/$4000 family 

• A worker may also lose coverage under a spouse’s job or retiree coverage – just because this option is available, but this problem with "coordination of benefits" varies depending on the spouse's plan..

B.  PPL's Anthem SecureHealth plan - (BRONZE PLAN) - same high-deductible plan offered in 2025, updated effective May 1, 2026. 

See Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC).  or see page 16 of Anthem Open Enrollment Guide

Effective May 1, 2026:

• Premium - Single - $53.06 per weekly pay period (about $230/mo). 
                     Employee + Spouse $173.25 per weekly pay period (about $750.75/mo). 

• Deductible -  In-Network - $6,350/year single   -$12,700 Family.  Out of network is higher - see SBC.

PRESS investigating PPL's insurance and benefits, and about Leading Edge, the  former administrator of PPL's insurance plans

Retirement 401(a) and/or 401(k) Plan

PPL is offering two retirement plans - a 401(a) plan and a 401(k) plan, both administered by a company called Empower Retirement, LLC. 

The 401(a) Plan

WHO is automatically enrolled in the 401(a) Plan?

1. Full-time workers in the Wage Parity area (NYC, Long Island, and Westchester) who choose not to enroll in either of the two PPL health insurance plans described above are automatically enrolled in this plan.  PPL will contribute the Wage Parity dollars that previously paid for the Wellness/Flex plan - or to the other PPL plans if PA chose to enroll --  to the 401(a) plan.  Click on Open Enrollment webpage for full time workers in Wage Parity area and outside Wage Parity here.

2. Part-time workers in the downstate Wage Parity area - as of May 1, 2026 they have no health insurance option.  For them, wage parity dollars previously used for the Wellness/Flex plan will be automatically directed to a 401(a) retirement account. See PPL Open Enollment site here.

3. The PA may not opt out of this plan and may not receive Wage Parity dollars in cash. 

About the 401(a) Plan

• Per PPL site, "PPL contributes to this account each pay period based on regular hours worked and contributions are fully vested, meaning they are yours to keep from day one."  This should mean that a PA who leaves PPL may roll the account over to an IRA. 

• PPL's contribution is $.80/hour in NYC for those who are not enrolled in either the SecureHealth (Bronze) or SecureHealth Plus (Silver) health plan.  Not yet known amount in Long Island and Westchester.

• Additionally, in the New York City wage parity area only,  $.69/hour will be deposited into the 401(a) account after the maximum of 56 hours of sick time/Paid Time Off has been accrued. These deposits continue until the end of the calendar year, then stop while new paid time off is accrued for the new year.  (Source:  Offer letter shared by a NYC PA).  

• Like IRAs, PA  may not withdraw funds from the retirement plan or rolled-over IRA even after leaving PPL without a federal tax penalty, unless PA is disabled or age 59 and 1/2.  

• PPL pays management fees to Empower LLC, the retirement account administrator.  PPL is counting $0.05/hour paid toward this fee as a Wage Parity benefit in New York City.  (amount not yet known in Long Island & Westchester).

401(k)  Retirement Plan

PA's statewide have the option of depositing all or part of their PPL income into a 401(k) plan.  Like the 401(a) plan, this plan is managed by Empower Retirement, LLC. 

The maximum deposit is $24,500 (2026 IRS rate), plus a catch-up contribution of:

•  $ 8,000 per year if you are age 50 or older by the end of the calendar year 
• $11,250 per year if you are age 60-63 only 

There is NO employer match.   The PA may choose between a tax-deferred plan or an after-tax Roth plan.  

The PA may change their contribution amount any time during they year, effective for the following pay period.   

The account is fully vested, meaning "they are yours to keep from day one."  This should mean that a PA who leaves PPL may roll the account over to an IRA. 

PA's who had a 401(k) plan with PPL before - their funds will be transferred to an account in the new plan

See PPL CareSecure Retirement Plan FAQ for Non-Wage Parity PAs – English Fact sheet (Espanol)

See PPL CareSecure Retirement Plan FAQ for Wage Parity PAs – English Fact Sheet)(Espanol)

During Open Enrollment April 15 - May 15, 2026, PAs statewide may voluntarily enroll in accident or life insurance - at their own cost.

PPL is offering a number of optional policies through Chubb -- -- Accident, Critical Illness, and Voluntary Life Insurance.  However, PPL is not contributing anything to the cost of these policies.  They are fully paid for by the PA - as a deduction from their paychecks.  Brochures on these self-funded insurance options can be downloaded on PPL webpage on Open Enrollment -  select which  of the five options applies to the PA's situation to see their options (Full-time living in Wage Parity area or outside Wage Parity area,  whether presently enrolled in SecureHealth plan or not, Part-time living in or out of Wage Parity area).  The main brochures in English are here - other languages also posted online. 

• Accident Insurance Enrollment Brochure – English 
• Critical Illness Brochure-English
• LifeTime Benefit Term Brochure – English

A NYC Transit Plan is also available to wage parity employees only downstate in NYC, Long Island, and Westchester).  -- 

RETIREMENT PLAN - see above. 

LAWSUITS CHALLENGING VIOLATION OF LABOR LAWs and WAGE PARITY LAWS

1. April 23, 2025 Flanagan vs. PPL - lawsuit filed April 23, 2025 in Western District NY - covers PAs serving consumers upstate -- outside of NYC, Long Island, and Westchester. Plaintiffs represented by law firm Poricanin Law.   

   1. CONTACT:  Emina Poricanin at  emina@poricaninlaw.com 

   2. Press:

      • Home Health Care News Caregivers Sue CDPAP’s Fiscal Intermediary For Wage Theft  (April 27, 2025),
      • NY Law Journal Fiscal Intermediary Sued for Wage Theft  (April 25, 2025).

2. May 30, 2025 - Calderon vs. PPL lawsuit - Amended complaint filed in Eastern District NY - for Downstate PAs  in NYC, Long Island, and Westchester.  See Legal Aid Society May 30, 2025 news release about the revised complaint, which adds violations of the NY Wage Parity Law to other claims under federal and state Labor Law. 

   • Plaintiffs are represented by The Legal Aid Society Employment Law Unit and pro bono firm Katz Banks Kumin LLP.   

   • CONTACT:  PA's with payment problems should complete this survey - which asks for your contact information and details of payment problems.

• PRESS:  

  • NY Law Journal 'Haphazard Transition' of Medicaid Program Leads to Another Lawsuit Against Fiscal Intermediary (Apr,. 28, 2025); 

  • WTEN ABC News10 Buffalo and Albany  CDPAP caregivers sue PPL, claiming weeks of underpayment (Apr. 28, 2025):  

  • Albany Times-Union Legal Aid Society alleges CDPAP administrator not paying workers (Apr. 28, 2025);

  • Crain's Health Pulse Caregivers file wage theft suit against PPL amid troubled home care consolidation (Apr. 28, 2025)

PPL Payment Policies - Holiday, Overtime, Etc.

PPL pays Holiday pay to FULL TIME workers only -  for seven holidays at time-and-a-half – but only for the 1st 8 hours of day.  See FAQ - under Personal Assistant Wages and Benefits.  Full time workers are defined as working 130+ hours/month. 

 PPL must pay overtime at time--and-a -half if the PA works more than 40 hours/week - under NYS Labor Law. 

But if a PA works overtime in a week with an eligible holiday, the time-and-a-half pay for the holiday will be reduced by the number of overtime hours worked.  

• See PPL Fact Sheet on Overtime and Holiday Pay
• Example  PA works 8 hours on Christmas and 4 hours of overtime the same week.  Holiday pay 8 hours reduced by 4 hours overtime pay = 4 hours. 

PPL may not limit the number of hours a PA works in a week, and must pay overtime if over 40 hours/week, as long as the number of hours is within the amount "authorized" by the plan or local DSS.   This is under PPL's contract with the State. 

Seventh Day Overtime or Day of Rest Rule - A "day of rest" is required by the NYS Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, meaning one day off during a 7-day week, but gives the worker overtime pay if they agree to work that day.   PPL has recently in March 2026 asked consumers to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding in which the consumer agrees to give the PA one day off a week - thus eliminating PPL's legal obligation to pay overtime for this "day of rest" if the PA agrees to work it.   Whether PPL is allowed to require consumers to agree to give this day off is not clear.  Note that PPL's  FAQ  limits this "day of rest" to PAs who are not family members of the consumer. 

PAID TIME OFF

"PAs will accumulate one hour of paid time off for every 30 hours worked for a maximum of 56 hours per calendar year that can be carried over to the following year."  See FAQ - under Personal Assistant Wages and Benefits. 

In the New York City wage parity area only,  $.69/hour will be deposited into the 401(a) account after the maximum of 56 hours has been accrued. These deposits continue until the end of the calendar year, then stop while new paid time off is accrued for the new year.  (Source:  Offer letter shared by a NYC PA).  

SICK TIME - New York City only

Per PPL FAQ, "Beginning February 22, 2026, PAs who work in any of the five NYC boroughs and who are actively working for a CDPAP consumer receive 32 hours of unpaid sick time per calendar year under NYC law. Unpaid sick time can be used after you have used all your available PTO.

Unused unpaid sick time does not carry over to the next year, and the annual allotment resets on January 1. New PAs hired after February 22, 2026, receive their 32 hours upon hire. With PPL, unpaid sick time may be requested up to 14 days in the past and up to 90 days in the future. Please be sure to let your consumer know as soon as possible if you expect to be out sick."

ARCHIVE:  Info and Press on the  original PPL health insurance plans  offered in 2025 - which were either replaced in Jan. 2026 or phased out May 1, 2026 (Wellness Plan).

• DOH   FAQ: CDPAP Caregiver Healthcare Benefit Options Offered by PPL - (PDF) Updated 4/25/2025 

• DOH”s own FAQ about PPL Health Insurance admits that this plan is “not comprehensive health insurance coverage because it only covers services the plan considers preventive. For example, if you injure yourself and make an appointment to see a provider, your primary care visit to treat the injury is not covered by the PPL Anthem BasicWellnessPlan.”

• Dec. 9, 2025  The City   Home Health Aides Will Get New Medical Insurance

• Oct. 21,  2025 - NY Post  NY lawmakers claim Hochul is targeting them for ongoing probe into alleged $11B Medicaid program scandal  

• Oct. 15, 2025 - The New School Center for NYC Affairs   Has New York solved its Home Care Crisis - or Made it Worse?   (Barbafra Caress)

• Sept. 5, 2025  NY Times  Questions Arise Over Hiring of Firm to Run $11 Billion Health Care Program

• Aug. 27, 2025  NY Focus   After Criticism, Home Care Employer Will Look for Better Health Insurance

• July 21, 2025  New York Focus  New York’s Health Companies Could Pocket Millions Meant for Low-Wage Care Aides

• July 11, 2025  News10NBC Investigates: Caregivers face uphill battle getting health insurance through State’s new CDPAP program

• June 13, 2025 New York Focus  5 Key Takeaways From Our Investigation Into Health Insurer Leading Edge Administrators

  June 12, 2025  New York Focus  ‘I Thought I Was In-Network’: The Insurance Scheme That Could Leave New Yorkers With Mountains of Debt  (see more about PPL health insurance here)

• May 1, 2025 New York Focus  Health Execs’ Charity Gave Away Millions. Don’t Ask Where it Went.

• April 29, 2025 Queens Daily Eagle  PPL's Health Insurance is a Raw Deal for Workers -- The State Must Change That (at page 2 of the PDF)(Op Ed by Rebecca Antar, The Legal Aid Society and Michael Kinnucan, Fiscal Policy Institute)

• April 28, 2025  Albany Times-Union  CDPAP glitches continue with pay errors, lapsed health insurance 

  April 28, 2025 NY FOCUS  Home Health Aides Are Getting New Insurance Coverage — From a Company With a History of Cutting It Off 

• April 23, 2025  New School Center for NYC Affairs Why Is the State Jeopardizing Health Insurance for Home Care Workers?  by Barbara Caress

• 3/24/25 - Spectrum News - Interview with DOH COmmissioner McDonald - denies having seen the New York Focus expose about Leading Edge, which runs the  sham health insurance plans offered by PPL.  See more on the health insurance scam exposed by the Fiscal Policy Institute. Yet he says "This is people's health care, vulnerable New Yorkers' health care.... I think healthcare really is one of the most important things." 

• March 19, 2025  Crains NY Business  State’s home care overhaul could upend insurance coverage for aides (behind paywall - apologies) covering 3/17/25 Fiscal Policy Institute report below.  

  March 18, 2025 -  News 10  Fiscal Policy Institute warns CDPAP plan could force New Yorkers off of better insurance - reporting on this report: 

• March 17, 2025 -- Fiscal Policy Institute - How the CDPAP Transition Could Leave Thousands of Home Care Workers Uninsured
• March 20, 2025       NY Focus  Fraudster-Linked Company Set to Begin Massive Insurance Contract for Home Health Workers  - more on the health insurance scam exposed by the Fiscal Policy Institute

• Medicare beneficiaries who wanted to opt out of the BasicWellness must complete and submit  this form  with a copy of the Medicare card (form was updated May 2025).  The form must be uploaded with a copy of the Medicare card to the PPL@Home portal within 30 days of first becoming eligible for the PPL plan,  and must be renewed each year by Dec. 31st.   

  • To confirm opt-out processed, email PPL Member Services <pplmemberservices@omnitpa.com>

  • OPT OUT NO LONGER REQUIRED - Wellness plan ends 4/30/26

View recording of webinar given by Valerie Bogart, NYLAG on May 15, 2025 and download NYLAG PowerPoint about the Single FI Transition - including PA health benefits (pp. 17-21 of this PDF).  Presentation given as part of all-day annual Elder Law Conference sponsored by Pierro Connor & Strauss on May 15, 2025.. View all presentations recorded at this forum here and download PDF that includes all presentations here.