Bipartisan Bill Would Mandate PACE in Every State, Ease Enrollment
Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and John Moolenaar (R-MI) introduced the PACE Access Improvement Act on September 24, which would require every state to offer the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly under Medicaid and speed up enrollment so coverage starts the day a signed agreement is received rather than the first of the following month. Currently only 33 states offer PACE, a joint Medicare-Medicaid program providing nursing-home-level care at home for adults 55 and older. The bill would also ease restrictions on marketing and outreach before new PACE centers open. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) is expected to introduce a Senate companion in November, according to the National PACE Association; industry leaders including InnovAge's CEO say the changes could meaningfully expand access to a model that currently reaches only a small fraction of eligible seniors.