The Programs of
All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is a program that combines both inpatient and
outpatient medical and long-term care services. To
be eligible, you must be at least 55 years old, live in the service area of the PACE
program, and be certified as eligible for nursing home care by the appropriate state
agency. The goal of PACE is to keep you independent and living in your community as long
as possible and to offer quality care at low cost.
Services include primary
care, social work, therapy to help you get better, medical services for special problems,
medical services that support routine treatment, and long-term care services (such as
transportation, meals, and personal care). The services are given in the PACE center, at
home, and in other inpatient settings such as a hospital.
A team of health care
providers looks at your needs, makes a plan of care, and gives you services for the total
care that you need. This health care team includes, but is not limited to, doctors,
nurses, therapists, and social workers. If you need nursing home care, PACE will give you
this service and check your health condition on a regular basis.
PACE sites get payments
directly from Medicare and Medicaid for services that all eligible enrollees get. However,
PACE sites are only in certain communities. To find a PACE site near you, or for more
information, call your state, county, or local medical assistance office - not a federal
office. You can also use a computer to look on the Internet under the Nursing Home section
of www.medicare.gov for PACE locations and
telephone numbers.
Remember, PACE does not
work with Medigap policies.
This information was taken from the
Health Care Financing Administration’s, “2000 Guide to Health Insurance for
People with Medicare”. This is an Adobe Acrobat file.
