What Is PACE?
The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly is a federally authorized nursing home alternative program that provides comprehensive medical, home health, and social care for individuals 55 years of age or older who are otherwise eligible for a nursing facility level of care.
Individualized Care…
PACE deploys an interdisciplinary team of professionals that provide enrollees (called “participants”) with all covered benefits of Medicaid and Medicare as well as any other services, outside of housing, that are determined necessary to help participants live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
…That revolves around you
Participants are just that—individuals actively engaged with their PACE organization to provide them with personalized, direct services at PACE centers (including a hot meal!) and also in their homes and communities.
With evidence to prove it.
PACE is well regarded as a proven program, often referred to as the “Gold Standard” for comprehensive integrated geriatric care.
Numerous studies and evaluations have uniformly found PACE to be highly advantageous in the quality of care it provides, the satisfaction of its participants, and its cost savings.
An October 2021 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report of Medicare-Medicaid integrated models for dually eligible individuals concluded that, “the PACE program stands out from our analysis as a consistently high performer.”
A January 2024 University of Chicago report highlighted PACE’s effectiveness in controlling costs on a state-by-state basis compared to similar populations enrolled in other care models. The study found that PACE achieves important reductions in high-cost hospitalizations, ER admission rates, and long-stay nursing facility admissions, and PACE achieved Medicaid cost savings of greater than 5% compared to PACE-like populations outside of the program.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, PACE program participants demonstrated half the mortality rate of nursing home and assisted living residents.
Key features of pace
| PACE |
|---|
| Consistent with the state and federal policy goals seeking comprehensive and integrated community-based care |
| Covers all Medicare and Medicaid services, including Part D pharmacy, Medicaid CBLTSS and SNF care, SDoH, and transportation services |
| Requires frequent interaction with participants through the interdisciplinary care planning process |
| Directly provides medical services at a PACE clinic as well as community-based physicians |
| Promotes PACE Day Center participation, with social day care, therapy, rehabilitation, and physician services included |
| Enrollment is entirely voluntary and occurs monthly, allowing individuals to choose their care the way they want it |
| All programs must meet state requirements for character, competence and financial security |