What is PPL, and what does a PPL caregiver do?
Public Partnerships LLC, usually called PPL, is a financial management services provider for self-directed care. In a self-directed Medicaid program, the person who needs care is the employer: they choose, hire and supervise their own caregiver, often a relative. But they don't want to run payroll, withhold taxes or file employer forms. That's PPL's job.
So a PPL caregiver isn't a PPL employee in the usual sense. You work for the person you care for. PPL is the go-between that makes sure you're enrolled, your hours are recorded and you're paid correctly. PPL describes itself as supporting about 50 self-directed programs in 18 states, for more than 700,000 participants and caregivers combined.
What PPL does for you, step by step
| Stage | What PPL handles | What you or your relative do |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment | Collects hiring forms, runs background checks where required, sets up the employer and employee records | Fill in and sign the forms; provide ID for the I-9 |
| Timesheets | Provides the electronic visit verification (EVV) app, web portal or phone line | Clock in and out for each shift; your relative approves the hours |
| Pay | Processes payroll, withholds taxes, pays by direct deposit, pay card or check | Choose a payment method and keep bank details current |
| Taxes | Files employer tax returns and issues your W-2 | Use the W-2 when you file your own taxes |
| Benefits (where offered) | Administers benefits the program provides | Enroll if eligible |
What PPL doesn't do: it doesn't decide whether your relative qualifies for Medicaid, how many hours they're approved for, or whether you're allowed to be the caregiver. Those come from the state program and your relative's assessment.
PPL and New York CDPAP since 2025
New York's Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) used to work with hundreds of separate fiscal intermediaries. In 2024–2025 the state moved to a single statewide fiscal intermediary and chose PPL. From April 1, 2025, PPL became the only entity authorized to provide CDPAP fiscal intermediary services. A federal court order later gave consumers until May 15, 2025 and personal assistants until June 6, 2025 to register.
PPL also works with CDPAP "facilitators" — organizations that subcontract with PPL to help consumers and personal assistants in their region. You can register through a facilitator or directly with PPL.
The switch has been contested. A former fiscal intermediary sued over the selection in 2024, and in June 2026 the U.S. Department of Justice sued New York and PPL, alleging the contract was improperly awarded and overbilled. None of this changes the practical steps: as of today, New York personal assistants still register and get paid through PPL. Read more on the New York caregiver program page and our FreedomCare comparison.
How to register with PPL in New York
According to PPL's New York CDPAP FAQ, personal assistants can register by phone, online through the PPL@Home portal, by email, in person by appointment, or through an approved CDPAP facilitator. The paperwork typically includes:
- An offer letter and the Personal Assistant Agreement
- IRS Form W-4 and New York Form IT-2104
- USCIS Form I-9, with identity and work-authorization documents
- A payment method form (direct deposit or pay card)
- A health assessment
Your relative, the consumer, also registers as the employer. Until both sides are complete, PPL can't pay you, so finish your forms quickly and keep copies.
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Timesheets and EVV: Time4Care
Medicaid requires electronic visit verification (EVV) for personal care. In New York, PPL's EVV app is called Time4Care. You clock in and out on the app, or through the PPL@Home portal, and there's an offline mode that syncs later if you don't have reliable internet. PPL also offers a phone option for entering and approving hours.
Tips that save families headaches:
- Clock in when you start and out when you finish — don't batch-enter hours at the end of the week.
- Make sure your relative (or their representative) approves each timesheet before the deadline.
- Never log more hours than your relative's plan authorizes. Those hours won't be paid.
How much PPL caregivers are paid, and when
PPL processes pay; it doesn't set the rate. In New York, the state sets minimum base wages. From January 1, 2026:
| Region | Minimum hourly wage |
|---|---|
| New York City | $20.65 |
| Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester | $20.05 |
| Rest of state | $18.65 |
PPL's New York FAQ says the pay schedule is weekly, on Thursdays, by direct deposit, a Wisely pay card or a mailed check. The first direct deposit can take one or two pay periods to start. See New York caregiver pay and county pages for Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk.
PPL in other states
Outside New York, PPL is one of several payroll agents, and which one you use often depends on your relative's managed care plan. From our state data:
- New Jersey — in the Personal Preference Program, PPL is the fiscal intermediary for members of several managed care plans, while another company serves others. A spouse can be the paid caregiver in New Jersey. See New Jersey.
- Virginia — consumer-directed care uses PPL or another fiscal/employer agent depending on the member's plan. See Virginia.
- West Virginia — PPL was the Personal Options payroll agent until 2024, when another company took over. See West Virginia.
For the programs PPL currently serves, check the state list on pplfirst.com, or ask your relative's case manager which payroll agent your program uses. Other states use different companies entirely — Tempus Unlimited in Pennsylvania, for example, and Acumen in Oklahoma.
PPL vs. a home care agency vs. Sunroom Care
People often confuse these three roles. They do different jobs, and a family may deal with more than one.
| PPL (payroll agent) | Home care agency | Sunroom Care | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who employs the caregiver | Your relative; PPL runs payroll | The agency | Nobody — we don't employ caregivers |
| Chooses the caregiver | Your relative | The agency assigns one | — |
| Supervises care | No | Yes | No |
| Handles enrollment paperwork | PPL's own onboarding | Agency hiring | Yes — we help families find the program and complete enrollment |
| Cost to family | Paid by the program | Paid by the program or privately | Free — paid by the program, never the family |
If you want an agency's supervision and backup, read home care agency vs. paid family caregiver. If you want your relative in charge, self-direction — with PPL or another payroll agent — is the route. See consumer-directed care.
When a PPL paycheck is late or wrong
Most pay problems come from a few causes: a missing form, an unapproved timesheet, hours outside the authorization, or bank details that haven't taken effect yet. Check those first in PPL@Home. If you still need help, contact PPL through the phone numbers and email on pplfirst.com — we don't reprint them because they vary by state and program. In New York, your relative's care manager or managed care plan can also help if the problem is with the authorized hours.
Getting started as a paid family caregiver
PPL is the last step, not the first. Every state has at least one self-directed program; the states list shows yours, and family caregiver pay rates shows what each one reports paying. A note on taxes: your PPL pay is usually reported on a W-2, but if you live with the person you care for, the IRS difficulty-of-care rule may make some or all of it excludable from income. Ask a tax preparer before you file. Your relative needs Medicaid, an assessment and a self-directed option before PPL enrollment matters. Start with how to get paid to care for a family member, check who can be a paid caregiver, or take the two-minute eligibility check.
Where to go next
Frequently asked questions
What is a PPL caregiver?
A caregiver hired by a person in a self-directed Medicaid program, whose payroll is run by Public Partnerships LLC. You work for the person you care for; PPL handles your paperwork and pay.
Is PPL the only CDPAP option in New York?
Yes. Since April 2025, PPL has been the only fiscal intermediary for CDPAP. Facilitators can help with registration but work under PPL.
How often does PPL pay in New York?
Weekly, on Thursdays, according to PPL's New York FAQ. You can choose direct deposit, a pay card or a paper check.
Does PPL decide how many hours I get?
No. Your relative's approved hours come from their Medicaid assessment and plan. PPL pays for approved hours that are recorded and approved.
Can I be paid by PPL to care for my spouse?
Not in New York CDPAP. In some other states, such as New Jersey, a spouse can be paid. The state program sets the rule, not PPL.
Is Sunroom Care part of PPL?
No. Sunroom Care is independent, free to families and helps them find and enroll in the right program.
Sources: PPL: official site (programs, scale) · PPL: New York CDPAP FAQ (registration, Time4Care, pay, wages, benefits) · NY DOH: CDPAP statewide fiscal intermediary policy · Holland & Knight: preliminary injunction and CDPAP transition dates · U.S. Department of Justice: suit over New York CDPAP contract (June 2026) · IRS: certain Medicaid waiver payments may be excludable from income · New Jersey DMAHS: Personal Preference Program FAQ. Program rules and rates change — always confirm with the program. Reviewed October 21, 2026.