Consumer Responsibilities in CDPA

As a consumer or designated representative in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance program, you are in charge. Of course, as with all things, with increased control comes increased responsibility.

Fiscal intermediaries (FIs) are there to help consumers with parts of the running their services, but there are many responsibilities that only the consumer or designated can do. The FI is legally prohibited from getting involved in these parts of CDPA.

Your responsibilities as a consumer can be found in full in the current regulations. They include:

• Managing the plan of care. If you don’t have a copy of your plan of care, or list of tasks that your PAs are allowed to perform for you, your plan or LDSS should provide you with one.
  
  
• Recruiting & interviewing PAs, including backup if needed. 
  
  
• Training, supervising and scheduling PAs.
  
  
• Terminating PAs (if needed).
  
  
• Telling your FI immediately if you do terminate a PA.
  
  
• Telling your managed care plan or county social services district about any medical or social changes, including: hospitalization, moving to a new address, or changing phone numbers. This will help them determine if you need more hours to safely remain in the community.
  
  
• Ensuring that PAs complete timesheets accurately, including following guidelines on phone or electronic sign-in and sign-out (referred to as Electronic Visit Verification, or EVV). As a consumer, you are responsible for verifying that time is reported honestly.
  
  
• Submitting PAs’ timesheets to the FI (if applicable).
  
  
• Signing up with ONE FI to administer your services. You should sign an agreement with them, and another with your managed care plan or county social services office that describes everyone’s responsibilities within the program. These agreements are legal documents, so make sure you understand them. 
  
  
• Designated representatives (if applicable) must make themselves available and be present for any scheduled assessment or visit by the New York Independent Assessor, examining medical professionals, county social services district staff, or managed care plan staff.

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