NPA Comments on Impact of Ageism in Health Care in Response to AHRQ RFI
ALEXANDRIA, VA – MARCH 20, 2025 – The National PACE Association (NPA) addressed the impact of ageism in health care in its response to a Request for Information (RFI) by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
Ageism has significant implications for health care, NPA stated. The effects of discrimination based on age are seen in populations that face additional barriers to care, such as older adults in rural areas, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and those with low incomes. Ageism accentuates other forms of bias, such as ableism, compounding the effects of ageism even more for historically underserved communities.
“Ageism affects participation in clinical trials, policies governing care, and the lack of emphasis on and funding for geriatric-specific training,” NPA wrote. “Ageism influences individual health care experiences and decisions, including provider attitudes and patient behaviors. Ageism serves to compound discrimination already faced by populations marginalized by racial, ethnic or socioeconomic disparities.”
NPA stated that evidence-based interventions focus on changing provider attitudes, restructuring care delivery, and implementing policies that support age-inclusive, person-centered models of care.
“One of the most direct ways to combat ageism in health care is through provider education and training,” the association noted. “PACE providers are trained in geriatric care and interdisciplinary team-based models that emphasize the individual needs of older adults. This training helps counteract ageist assumptions that older patients are inherently frail or unresponsive to treatment.”