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Congress Passes Legislation Adding Flexibility to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
On Wednesday, October 21, the U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to the President the PACE Innovation Act (H.R. 3243) which would provide increased flexibility to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand the PACE program to serve new populations, including younger individuals with disabilities and individuals at risk of nursing home placement. The Senate passed the legislation in August (S. 1362). According to lead author Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) the bill will allow PACE organizations "to bring the benefits of coordinated medical and long term services to more seniors who seek to live independently in the setting of their choosing." Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), the lead Democratic sponsor of the House bill, said that "PACE is centered on the belief that it is better for individuals and their families to receive both medical care and long-term social services and supports in the home and community whenever possible."
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Study finds PACE enrollees have 31 percent lower risk of long-term nursing home admission
Prior studies on the effectiveness of community-based services have shown that the use of programs such as PACE can reduce nursing home utilization.
An article published in August 2015 by
The Gerontological Society of America adds to those findings. The study, which followed enrollees in PACE and in 1915(c) home and community based waiver programs over a multi-year time period found that PACE enrollees had a 31% lower risk of long-term nursing home admission in comparison to 1915 (c) waiver enrollees. According to the authors of the study, entitled "Transitioning From Community-Based to Institutional Long-term Care: Comparing 1915 (c) Waiver and PACE Enrollees ", the findings suggest that "PACE may be more effective than 1915(c) aged and aged and disabled waiver programs in reducing long-term NH use and may be particularly well suited to supporting cognitively impaired individuals, enabling them to remain in the community longer."
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CMS Calls PACE a 'Glimpse into Our Future'
Events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid taking in July of this year underscored how much Medicare and Medicaid have changed society, and PACE was not overlooked for its contributions. At a commemorative event in Washington, DC on July 29, Andy Slavitt, Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), called attention to a recent visit to On Lok Lifeways PACE in San Francisco. Referring to his visit, Administrator Slavitt said "On Lok [is] part of a very important program called PACE. Places like On Lok really impress me. When I visit them, I feel like I'm glimpsing very much into our future."
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Veterans voice their appreciation for PACE
A recent video featuring the partnership between On Lok Lifeways PACE program and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System highlights some of the ways PACE is assisting veterans with chronic health care conditions and functional impairments to safely remain in their homes. According to Jon Fuller, MD, Assistant Chief of Staff, VA Palo Alto Health Care system, "PACE offers just that level of support that is able to keep seniors in their own homes as an alternative to being in some type of institution". According to one of the seniors featured in the video, "the people who work here really care, and if you have a problem, they are always there to help you, and you can count on that."
Watch this video to hear what Veterans have to say about the services they have received from the program.
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CalPACE to honor 2015 Legislators of the Year
Each year, CalPACE recognizes legislators who have demonstrated commitment, passion, and active support of initiatives which serve the needs of seniors and persons with disabilities in California.
CalPACE is pleased to honor Assemblymember Rob Bonta, chair of the Assembly Health Committee, and Senator Ed Hernandez, chair of the Senate Health Committee as its 2015 Legislators of the Year. Both will be honored during the CalPACE Day in the Capitol on March 30 2016.
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CalPACE, the California PACE Association, is a 501(c)(6) association that is dedicated to the expansion of comprehensive health care services to seniors with chronic care needs through the Program of All-inclusive Care for Elderly (PACE). Through education and advocacy, CalPACE members strive to support, maintain, and safeguard the PACE model and promote high-quality comprehensive health care services to California's seniors.
There are currently eleven operational PACE organizations as well as three PACE organizations in development in California. Our members provide and coordinate services to over 5,000 participants through 30 PACE centers in twelve counties.
Peter Hansel
Chief Executive Officer
CalPACE
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CalPACE | 1315 I Street | Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95814
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