ALBANY, NY — Joseph Hernandez, Republican candidate for New York State Comptroller, called for further reform following the New York Post’s report documenting $179 million in fraud found in New York’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, or CDPAP, over the last decade.
“CDPAP is the poster child for Albany’s failure to protect New York taxpayers,” said Joseph Hernandez.
In 2019, the CDPAP program, which provides home health care services to the elderly through state funding, cost taxpayers $2.5 billion. By 2023, CDPAP accounted for $9.1 billion in Medicaid spending with 250,000 people enrolled to receive care and 400,000 registered caregivers. In 2025, CDPAP spending reached $12 billion, a 380% increase over six years.
“The State Comptroller is responsible for fighting waste, fraud and abuse in state government,” said Hernandez. “The fact that a media investigation identified nearly $200 million stolen from state taxpayers through CDPAP during the last ten years is an indictment of Tom DiNapoli’s tenure as State Comptroller. That will end on Day One when I’m sworn into office. I will implement real time technology driven audits to flag suspicious billing and fake caregivers before the money even leaves the system. No more waiting years to discover taxpayers have been ripped off.”
Despite serving as State Comptroller since 2007, Tom DiNapoli failed to take action to stop fraud in the CDPAP program and stop these improper payments.
Hernandez concluded, ”Let me be clear, I will use every tool at the State Comptroller’s disposal to protect taxpayers and fight fraud, waste and abuse in state government. I will prevent improper payments from being made and work closely with state and federal prosecutors to hold those accountable who steal from New York taxpayers.”
To learn more about Joseph Hernandez’s plan to modernize the Office of State Comptroller and protect taxpayers, visit hernandezforny.com.