Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Model

The Program of All-inclusive Care of the Elderly (PACE) is a community-based program that comprehensively addresses the healthcare needs of individuals who meet States’ eligibility criteria for nursing home care and is an alternative to institutional long-term care. PACE believes that older adults are better off when cared for in the community. PACE covers all Medicare and Medicaid services and additional services as determined by the PACE Interdisciplinary Team, including fully integrated medical services, rehabilitation therapies, social services, transportation and other supportive services, and managing the delivery of these services across all settings of care. Research shows PACE has the ability to care for persons with multiple chronic healthcare needs at a high level of quality and cost-effectiveness. The key to the model is adequate oversight, knowing the participants, and being able to identify changes in their condition. In this way, the care model helps prevent “avoidable” visits to the emergency room, hospital, or skilled nursing facility. By reducing the use of unnecessary and higher-cost care, PACE programs are able to provide a broader and more intensive array of community-based services that in turn help prevent the exacerbation of chronic conditions and slow functional decline. This is population health management at its best.