Read the HHS Study

Expand Access to PACE

2 million seniors qualify for PACE, but fewer than 100,000 are enrolled. Commonsense fixes can change that now.

Read the HHS Study

2 million Seniors qualify, Fewer than 100,000 have PACE.

Fewer than 100,000Seniors enrolled in PACE

2 millionSeniors who qualify for PACE

*Each figure represents 100,000 seniors.

PACE works. Now expand it.

The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is a unique, proven model for seniors who qualify for nursing home level of care but want to stay in their homes and communities. With PACE, one comprehensive care team coordinates everything, from doctor visits and prescriptions to therapy, meals, transportation, and in-home support.

Roughly 2 million seniors are eligible for PACE. Fewer than 100,000 are enrolled. The gap is not a lack of need. Outdated rules limit where new programs can open, how seniors and families learn about PACE, and how care can be delivered. CMS has a critical opportunity to save taxpayer money and fix that in the upcoming 2028 Medicare MA/Part D Rule.

A group of older adults working on a jigsaw puzzle together at a kitchen table
  • 2 million Seniors who qualify for PACE
  • Fewer than 100,000 Seniors enrolled in PACE
  • 24% Lower odds of an ER visit for PACE participants (HHS study)
  • 94% PACE participants who continue living in their communities
  • 33 States that offer PACE, plus the District of Columbia

PACE has Better Outcomes

A new HHS study of more than 3 million dual eligible seniors found that PACE participants had significantly lower odds of hospitalization, emergency room visits, and death than similar seniors in Medicare Advantage. PACE plays an essential role in improving outcomes for people with complex needs.

The Bipartisan Policy Center reached a similar conclusion, finding PACE both cost-effective and better for patients than other long-term care options: participants are less likely to be hospitalized, need emergency care, or be institutionalized than Medicare Advantage enrollees, and Medicaid spends roughly $6,000 less per person per year on PACE than on nursing facility care.

24% Lower odds of an ER visit for PACE participants (HHS study)
Close-up of an older woman's hands resting over another person's hand
94% PACE participants who continue living in their communities

Seniors Stay Home

PACE allows seniors to live in their homes and communities instead of a nursing home. In fact, 94 percent of PACE participants continue living in their communities.

PACE provides a fully integrated, financially coordinated care model for frail individuals 55 and older who require nursing-home-level care, utilizing interdisciplinary teams to deliver comprehensive medical and social support that has been proven to reduce hospitalizations and improve daily functioning.

And the need is growing fast: as of 2022, roughly 14 million adults report needing long-term services and supports, and more than 660,000 people sit on waiting lists for home- and community-based care, waiting an average of over three years.

Access Is the Problem

PACE is available in only 33 states and the District of Columbia, and in many areas only one program is allowed to operate. Where multiple programs serve a market, over 50% of eligible seniors are served. In many single-program markets, it’s less than 10%!

33 States that offer PACE, plus the District of Columbia

Opening more programs is the fastest way to close that gap.

Commonsense Fixes, Ready Now

CMS can expand access to PACE in the upcoming rule by:

  1. ensuring qualified programs are not turned away simply because another program operates nearby,
  2. allowing PACE to offer every telehealth service Medicare already covers, and
  3. aligning PACE marketing rules with other Medicare plans so more families know it is an option.

Expand Access to PACE Now

The evidence is in and the fixes are commonsense. CMS can act in the upcoming 2028 Medicare MA/Part D Rule so more seniors get critical care at home, where they want to be.