PACE Coalition Selected to Develop Center in Ohio

In a competitive review process the Ohio Department of Aging has selected the Southwestern Ohio PACE Community Coalition to develop a PACE center in Hamilton County, OH. The coalition consists of TriHealth, the Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio, and Edenbridge Health.

Ohio is significantly expanding access to PACE by introducing new programs in nine counties. Previously, only one PACE program existed in the state. Assuming final approval by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the coalition aims to begin serving Hamilton County residents in November 2025.

The three SOPCC partners will leverage their unique capabilities and strong community partnerships to benefit PACE participants and the broader community. Edenbridge Health, which spearheaded the formation of the SOPCC and led the successful application, brings extensive geriatrics and operational expertise in standing up PACE centers in under-resourced urban communities.

TriHealth will help to establish a high-quality and comprehensive provider network and operational capabilities for delivering the wide range of required PACE services. The Council on Aging (COA) of Southwestern Ohio, as the Area Agency on Aging for Hamilton and surrounding counties, has expertise in providing care management and service coordination services that help individuals manage complex medical and long-term care needs.

“TriHealth’s vision and strategy are rooted in the triple aim of better care and higher quality, better health and better value and achieved by delivering the right care in the right setting for every patient, whether in a hospital, ambulatory setting or in the home,” said Mark C. Clement, president and CEO of TriHealth. “PACE is perfectly aligned with our work to ‘get health care right’ because it clearly recognizes the importance of and rewards providers for caring for patients in the right place, which is increasingly the outpatient and home setting where patients want to be cared for. TriHealth is thrilled to be part of this coalition to improve the well-being of older adults in our community.”

“It is important for older adults in our region to have a choice and range of options available to them when they want to remain at home as they age,” said Ken Wilson, vice president of Program Operations at COA. “We are excited about this partnership and the ability it provides to bring a new option to frail older adults in Hamilton County. The PACE program aligns perfectly with our mission to help individuals remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible.”

“Hamilton County boasts a broad network of service organizations dedicated to improving the lives of older adults,” said Stephen Gordon, MD, MBA, founder and CEO of Edenbridge Health. “We are honored to partner with them to bring the golden standard of elder care – PACE – to the Cincinnati area.”

Edenbridge Health, based in Boston, MA, has developed PACE programs in California, Virginia and Washington DC, and is developing a program in Baltimore, MD.

Under the terms of its award, SOPCC must now apply to and be approved by CMS to become a Medicaid-reimbursed PACE organization.