Welcome to the CalPACE Quarterly

Policy & Advocacy: 2026 Legislative and Budget Recap

Thank you to all our members who continue to engage in crucial efforts taking place in Sacramento. Without your commitment and participation, we would not be able to defend and protect PACE and more than 30,000 elderly Californians statewide.

2026-2027 State Budget

CalPACE and PACE organizations across California had a successful year in the Legislature. The Legislature rejected Governor Newsom’s proposal to implement a rate cap for PACE organizations at the lower bound rate. The combined effect of the current cap at the midpoint plus the cap at the lower bound would have reduced PACE funding by an estimated $220 million annually, or an average 7% cut to individual PACE providers. This proposal would have reduced access to care, increased financial barriers, and disrupted coverage for PACE participants statewide. 

The final budget also included $800,000 in 2026-27 ($400,000 General Fund and $400,000 Federal Fund) to support the hiring of additional Level of Care (LOC) nursing staff to evaluate PACE enrollment applications. These new positions will help improve application processing capacity and support timely access to PACE services for eligible individuals.

Additionally, the joint budget agreement acted on critical budget items that are impactful to PACE:


• Delays the elimination of state-funded dental coverage for Medi-Cal beneficiaries who have Unsatisfactory Immigration Status (UIS) to July 1, 2027.
  
• Rejected the Governor’s proposed changes to the Medi-Cal asset limit test and instead moved the threshold to $21,000 for an individual and $31,000 for a couple starting July 2, 2027. This will help older Californians stay enrolled in Medi-Cal.
  

Elevating PACE in Sacramento
Our advocacy also extends beyond the legislative process. CalPACE worked closely with AltaMed to support an op-ed authored by Assemblymember Solache highlighting PACE as a compassionate, cost-effective model of care for California’s older adults. The piece helps bring greater visibility to PACE and its role in supporting older adults with complex care needs to remain in their communities.

From Our Members: Around the CalPACE Community

There’s been a lot to celebrate across California’s PACE community over the past three months. From new centers and milestones to National PACE Month, here are a few highlights from our members.

• On Lok Expands Access to PACE: On Lok recently opened two new PACE centers in Union City and South San Jose, expanding access to PACE in the Bay Area. The milestone comes as On Lok celebrates its 55th anniversary, honoring more than five decades of innovation. 

• K-Day Celebrates One Year: K-Day marked its first anniversary, a milestone celebrating a year of culturally responsive, community-based care and connection.
  
• Seen Health Celebrates Growth & Community: Seen Health brought its community together for a Mid-Autumn celebration while marking an exciting milestone, serving more than 300 PACE participants in less than two years of operations.

• Central Valley PACE Opens in Stockton: Central Valley PACE celebrated the opening of its Stockton Community Health Complex, including a new PACE center that will expand access to care in the community.

• California Celebrates National PACE Month: Throughout September, members across the state joined the national #ThankYouPACE celebration, highlighting the participants, caregivers, staff, and communities that bring PACE to life every day.

New Resource: Understanding PACE’s Growing Role in California

The California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) has released a new explainer examining PACE in California; what the model is, who it serves, and how it has grown across the state.

Developed for a broad health and policy audience, PACE in California: A Growing Model for Complex Care, provides an accessible look at the PACE model and recent growth trends in California. CalPACE was pleased to contribute data and insights to help inform the resource.

The explainer is already helping introduce PACE to important audiences. A final draft was recently shared with members of California’s Future of Medi-Cal Commission. As PACE continues to grow, resources like this can help more people understand how the model works and its role in California’s health care landscape.

SAVE THE DATE: CalPACE Lobby Day 2027

Mark your calendars for CalPACE’s annual lobby day, taking place on Wednesday, April 14, 2027 in Sacramento. This will be your chance to make a difference and represent your PACE Organization in the state capitol to discuss the value of the PACE program. More details to come, we hope you can join us!  


With a new Administration and Legislature taking shape, next year’s Lobby Day will be an especially important opportunity for the PACE community to educate policymakers and ensure participant and provider voices are heard in Sacramento.

Communications Corner: Resources, ideas, and opportunities to amplify PACE

We’re making it easier for members to tell the PACE story. Through our Communications Peer Network, we’ll continue adding practical tools and best practices for social media, video, content development, and more to the Marketing section of Circle.


And we want to hear from you! Share participant and community stories, center announcements, milestones, photos, videos, and other moments worth celebrating for potential features across CalPACE communications.

Explore the Marketing resources in Circle, and send your stories to our communications consultant Jasminmsosa@gmail.com.