Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) opened a brand new entrance in his public struggle towards Gov. Kathy Hochul — calling for an investigation into claims her workplace rigged a bid to supervise New York’s allegedly fraud-ridden $9 billion house care Medicaid program.
Torres despatched a letter to state and federal authorities urging them “to analyze alleged makes an attempt by the Hochul Administration to place the $9 billion CDPAP [Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program] within the palms of a single out-of-state vendor with a questionable observe report and to take action below false pretenses.”
“Governor Hochul’s multi-billion greenback boondoggle deserves an unbiased investigation,” Torres wrote to each state Division of Well being Inspector Normal Lucy Lang and the US Division of Well being and Human Companies Inspector Normal Christi Grimm.
The congressman claimed the awarding of the large contract by the DOH to Public Partnerships LLC was exempt from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s evaluation — a sign that the Hochul administration “might need one thing to cover.”
He quoted from the sworn affidavit of a house care supplier, Carlos Martinez — cited in The Put up on Sunday — claiming {that a} state incapacity official had advised him Public Partnerships was getting the contract effectively earlier than the bidding course of was even underway.
“There could also be one thing rotten within the state of New York below Governor Kathy Hochul,” the congressman mentioned within the letter.
“Simply ask Carlos Martinez, the CEO of BRIDGES, whose sworn affidavit accuses the Hochul
Administration of placing its thumb on the dimensions in favor of a single contractor referred to as Public
Partnerships LLC (PPL).”
Torres, who mentioned he’s contemplating working for governor in a celebration main towards fellow Democrat Hochul in 2026, wrote the letter in his official capability as a Home member on his congressional letterhead.
The Shopper Directed Private Help Program — CDPAP — lets Medicaid recipients rent family or family members as paid private house care aides.
The Put up, earlier this 12 months, reported how the prices for the widespread program had spiraled uncontrolled, with little oversight of some 700 companies or non-profits that function as middlemen, or payroll brokers, between caregivers and Medicaid.
As a way to curb prices in this system, the DOH chosen one agency, Public Partnerships LLC, to switch the tons of of go-between corporations, triggering an trade backlash.
However Martinez’s sworn affidavit — filed as a part of lawsuit opposing the contract — alleges a state chief incapacity officer advised him and different house care operators throughout a Zoom assembly in April that the DOH had chosen Public Partnerships to be the statewide fiscal middleman, lengthy earlier than initiating a aggressive bidding course of.
“The pre-selection of PPL was the worst stored secret in Albany, and the bidding course of that arose afterwards has since been uncovered as a dog-and-pony present with a predetermined consequence,” Torres charged.
He mentioned probes by the IGs could also be “the one hope” for bringing “transparency and accountability to a high-stakes course of that has neither however wants each.”
Hochul’s workplace defended the bidding course of for the CDPAP contract and accused Torres of preventing adjustments to enhance this system.
“It seems to be like Ritchie Torres is making an attempt to derail much-needed reforms and shield the established order of runaway spending and fraud that has harm New York taxpayers and made CDPAP unsustainable for house care customers who want it,” a Hochul spokesperson mentioned.
“That doesn’t appear to be an awesome use of time, and his letter is stuffed with false claims anyway – so we’ll keep targeted on delivering a stronger and simpler CDPAP as a part of the transition that may take impact by April 2025.”
Hochul’s camp insisted no state official knew in April which firm would get the contract — and that the DOH acquired 100 responses in the course of the bidding course of.
Public Partnerships was awarded the contract truthful and sq., with the very best rating, her workplace mentioned.
“It was a completely unbiased procurement course of I used to be not concerned within the choice in any respect,” Hochul advised reporters throughout an unrelated press convention Monday.
“Standards was put on the market was a want to have an entity that was going to take over a failing system.”
The chief incapacity officer cited within the affidavit didn’t draft the requests for proposal or consider the responses and the state comptroller can evaluation the contract after it’s finalized, her workplace mentioned.
“My primary precedence with the house healthcare program is to verify those that want the assistance are getting it, whether or not they have disabilities, whether or not they’re quick time period long run, senior residents, I consider within the applications that maintain households collectively and maintain them at house,” Hochul advised reporters.
A spokesman for the state IG confirmed receiving Torres’ letter and mentioned it investigates “all complaints that fall below our jurisdiction.”
The federal HHS IG’s workplace had no rapid remark.
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