Long Island disability advocates protest New York's Medicaid cuts

LONG ISLAND - Disability advocates rallied on Long Island Thursday to protest changes to New York's Medicaid-funded Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, also known as CDPAP.

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a plan to cut down on the program's fiscal intermediaries, but advocates say the so-called "middlemen" have spent years helping facilitate services for families.

Currently, there are roughly 600 intermediaries in the state, but Hochul's new budget has just one.

State and local officials call Hochul’s move cruel if advocates are the ones left to find their own services for their family members.

"She should be focused on reckless, loaded bureaucracy that we see all across New York State under her failed leadership," said Rep. Anthony D’Esposito.

The governor's office says caregivers and the people who receive the care are not in jeopardy. They told FOX 5 NY that this is to put an end to end to waste, fraud and abuse of the system. Advocates say reducing the number of agencies won't help all of the people in need.

"The governor doesn't understand what these policy changes are doing to our population," said councilwoman Missy Miller with the Town of Hempstead.