“With less than one month before the statutory deadline to transition the state’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, it is clear that New York state government must act immediately to extend the April 1 deadline. Acting now will ensure all users of the program are able to successfully transition and their access to this critically important program is uninterrupted.”

“Regardless of whether or not the language mandating this transition to a single statewide fiscal intermediary in last year’s budget was the correct choice, to date the enrollment process continues to cause angst to users and confusion across our state’s health care continuum. The law is the law until it changes, and what we have heard from stakeholders involved in this process is concern about the potential of harm with an April 1 deadline set by the law. The responsible action for government is to react appropriately and change the effective date.”

“I call on my partners in government to put politics and posturing aside and act responsibly. We must immediately pass legislation extending the April 1 deadline to transition CDPAP to a single statewide fiscal intermediary until a date when we are confident that all appropriate steps have in fact been taken to safely transition all program enrollees in a manner in which they are confident their access to their chosen caregiver is secure,” said Jensen.