As New York State forges ahead with its plan to consolidate 600 Fiscal Intermediaries, or FIs, into a single entity, the implications for our consumers and their caregivers cannot be overstated. The intentions and motivations behind this move are sketchy at best, with PPL and 1199 SEIU appearing to have been in discussions and agreements long before any decision was announced to implement a single FI. Even the narrative surrounding fraud, waste and abuse produced little to any evidence that the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) is an outlier among all Medicaid-funded services. This entire move is callous and irresponsible. Even more troubling is the proposed timeline, raising serious concerns about potential disruption, confusion and harm to consumers in the program.

Recent transitions in other states serve as cautionary tales. Pennsylvania transitioned from 35 providers down to 1. Out of 22,000 people who were supposed to be transitioned, only 8,000 were left — roughly 65% of individuals losing their services. Many likely returned to higher levels of care, including traditional home care and nursing homes — a major disruption........

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