PACE: Services Are the Focal Point

Who pays depends on income eligibility

PACE services are offered at the client’s home, the PACE Day Center, and in the community in general. The day center offers on-site physician and nursing care, prescription drug dispensing, lab work and X-ray services, and basic dental care. The center also provides physical, occupational, and recreational therapy; behavioral health assessment and counseling; social work; and dietitian-directed meals.

Services provided in the home include personal care, meal preparation, grocery shopping assistance, and light housekeeping. Services provided in the general community include vision care, podiatry, audiology, and cardiac care. Dentures, hearing aids, glasses, and cataract care are provided when needed. PACE will also pay for respite care, skilled nursing care, and hospital stays. Finally, transportation to and from the home, day center, or community facility is provided for all service offerings.

All services are provided without deductibles or copayments. If the client is eligible for Medicare, that federal program will pay for all Medicare-covered services. If the client is also eligible for the state’s Medicaid program, then the long-term care cost of the PACE services will be paid for by Medicaid. If income or asset requirements make the client ineligible for Medicaid, then payment for the long-term care services and the Medicare Part D drug cost will be out-of-pocket. Currently, only 4% of PACE clients nationwide are private pay, so PACE programs are primarily serving the low-income senior population.

There are 72 PACE Day Centers in the country, with more planned. Click here if you’d like to learn more about PACE offerings in your area.

By Deborah Hoskins, JD, CFP
The Wise and the Wary Blog