Congress: Expand Access to PACE
The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) enables older adults who need a nursing home level of care to live in their own homes and have all their health care needs met by an interdisciplinary team. The PACE model of care is a high-quality, cost-effective solution to the elder care crisis facing the nation. Currently, only 73,000 Americans participate in PACE due to barriers to program expansion and access, especially for individuals who are covered by Medicare but not Medicaid. Congress can act to allow more people to have access to PACE by supporting key pieces of legislation.
Allow PACE Enrollees to Choose Their Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan
Cosponsor the PACE Part D Choice Act (S. 1703/H.R. 3549)
- This bipartisan bill would eliminate the financial barrier for Medicare-only beneficiaries to enroll in PACE.
- As compared to a standalone Part D plan, where the premiums average just $48 a month nationwide, a PACE Part D plan is cost-prohibitive for many prospective Medicare-only participants since the premiums average over $1,100 a month nationwide.
- As a result, the cost of enrolling in PACE becomes much less affordable for Medicare-only beneficiaries for whom PACE would otherwise increase their quality of care and quality of life in the only true home- and community-based alternative to a nursing home.
- An expedient solution to this inequality is to enable Medicare-only beneficiaries seeking to enroll in PACE to have the option of choosing a standalone Part D plan or the Part D plan of a PACE organization, whichever one meets their needs best.
- Please cosponsor the bipartisan PACE Part D Choice Act and show your support. Contact Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH-2) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3).
One Family's Story: PACE is the Right Program for Us. Why Can’t We Access It?
Give Veterans Access to the Best Long-Term Care America Has to Offer
Support the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act
- This bipartisan bill is a collection of several bipartisan bills with strong support in both the House and Senate. A portion of this larger bill would increase access to home- and community-based services (HCBS), including PACE, for all veterans.
- Right now, the ability of a veteran to choose HCBS over a nursing facility depends entirely on where they live and whether certain programs have been implemented at the closest Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).
- For PACE, the access is constricted further since the decision of whether to partner with a local PACE organization is left entirely to the local VAMC, with no guidance from the VA Central Office.
- Passing this bill would eliminate that barrier by requiring any VAMC located within the geographic service area of a PACE organization to establish a partnership. The decision of whether to access PACE would then be left up to the eligible veteran.
See PACE in Action
PACE Organization Site Visits
Please come visit our PACE program and see our innovative, person-centered model of care n action. Participants and staff will share their perspectives with you about this unique care setting, which addresses a wide range of needs.
For More Information, contact NPA Advocacy
For More Information
Contact: NPA Advocacy