If you are a senior with health problems and a low income, you may have heard about a program called PACE. PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. It is designed to help older adults who need a lot of care get that care without having to move into a nursing home.
This article explains what PACE is, who can get it, what it covers, and how to find out if it’s available where you live.
What Is PACE?
PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. It is a Medicare and Medicaid program designed to help older adults receive the care they need in their community instead of moving into a nursing home or other care facility.
What makes PACE different is the way that care is organized. Normally, someone with significant medical and daily living needs may have to coordinate with doctors, specialists, pharmacies, home care agencies, transportation providers and other organizations. It’s a really difficult thing for people who are struggling with health challenges to coordinate.
That’s why PACE is so highly recommended. This program brings these services together so you don’t have to worry about anything.
When you enroll, a team of health care professionals develops a personalized plan based on your medical, physical, social and emotional needs. Your PACE team then coordinates the services included in that plan.
That can take a tremendous burden off both participants and their caregivers.
What Does PACE Cover?
PACE covers all Medicare and Medicaid covered services that your PACE team determines you need. The program can also approve additional services when the team decides they are necessary to improve or maintain your health.
Depending on your individual care plan, PACE may provide:
- Primary care: This includes doctors, nurses and preventive care.
- Prescription medications: PACE provides necessary medications, including Medicare Part D covered drugs for participants with Medicare.
- Dental care: Dentistry is among the services PACE may provide.
- Home care: Participants may receive approved care and support in their homes.
- Personal care: Help may be available for daily activities and personal needs.
- Transportation: PACE can provide transportation to and from the PACE center and medical appointments.
- Meals and nutrition: Adult day services may include meals and help with special dietary needs. Nutritional counseling may also be available.
- Therapy: Physical, occupational and speech therapy are covered when appropriate.
- Mental health care: Mental health counseling can be part of a participant’s care.
- Specialty care: Participants can receive medically necessary specialty services.
- Hospital and emergency care: PACE coordinates these services when needed.
- Nursing home care: If a participant eventually requires nursing home care, PACE can cover and coordinate it.
- Social services: Social workers and other members of the PACE team can help address a participant’s broader needs.
PACE may also provide laboratory tests, X-rays and other services.
The important thing to understand is that PACE does not simply hand everyone the same package of benefits. Your care team determines which services are necessary for your individual situation.
PACE Can Help You Stay at Home
One of the biggest goals of PACE is helping older adults continue living safely in their communities.
The National PACE Association describes PACE as an alternative to nursing home care for many older adults. Instead of waiting for someone’s needs to become a crisis, the program coordinates medical and social services that may make it possible for that person to remain at home.
That can be especially important for families who are struggling to keep up with a loved one’s growing care needs.
PACE programs may also operate centers where participants can receive health care, meals, therapy and social services during the day.
Who Qualifies for PACE?
You do not necessarily have to be enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid to join PACE.
According to Medicare, you can qualify if you meet four basic requirements.
You must:
- Be at least 55 years old.
- Need a nursing home level of care based on your state’s Medicaid definition. This usually involves needing help with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). If you aren’t sure whether you meet your state’s requirements, don’t assume you are ineligible. Contact a local PACE organization and ask about an eligibility assessment.
- Be able to live safely in the community with help from PACE.
- Live in a PACE service area. As of August 2026, the National PACE Association reports that there are 202 PACE programs serving more than 95,500 participants across 33 states and Washington, D.C.
It can be tricky to know if you qualify because states establish their own standards for what constitutes that level of care, so there isn’t one simple nationwide test that determines whether your needs will qualify. You can contact your local PACE organization for details.
The easiest way to check is to use the National PACE Association’s Find a PACE Program tool. You can search by state and then narrow the results by ZIP code.
You can also contact your state Medicaid office to ask whether PACE is available where you live.
How to Apply for PACE
You don’t need to figure out the entire process by yourself.
Start by checking whether there is a PACE organization that serves your address.
- Step 1: Find your local program. Search the National PACE Association’s PACE program directory by state and ZIP code.
- Step 2: Contact the PACE organization. Tell them you’re interested in enrollment and ask for an eligibility screening.
- Step 3: Complete the assessment. The program will need to determine whether you meet PACE requirements, including your state’s nursing home level of care standard.
- Step 4: Review the care plan and costs. Ask which doctors and providers you’ll use, what services the team expects to provide and what you’ll personally have to pay.
- Step 5: Review everything before enrolling. Make sure you understand how joining PACE will affect your existing Medicare coverage, drug plan and health care providers.
Medicare also recommends contacting your state Medicaid office if you need help determining whether you are eligible.
What’s the Catch?
It’s natural to have concerns when a program like this sounds so good. We’ve had a lot of people ask what the catch is, and so far we’ve only identified these:
There is an important tradeoff to understand before enrolling.
When you join PACE, you generally receive your covered health care through the PACE organization and its network.
This can mean changing doctors or other providers.
Medicare specifically warns that people with Medicare receive their Part D covered prescriptions and other necessary medications through PACE. If you enroll in a separate Medicare prescription drug plan after joining PACE, you will be disenrolled from PACE.
Before enrolling, ask the PACE organization how the change would affect your current doctors, specialists, medications and other health care providers.
The amount you pay depends heavily on whether you have Medicaid.
If You Have Medicaid
If you qualify for Medicaid, Medicare says you won’t pay a monthly premium for the PACE benefit.
There are also no deductibles, copayments or coinsurance for drugs, services or care approved by your PACE team.
For someone who needs extensive long term care and medical support, that can make PACE especially valuable.
If You Have Medicare but Not Medicaid
You can still participate if you meet the PACE eligibility requirements, but your costs will be different.
Medicare says people who have Medicare but don’t qualify for Medicaid generally pay a monthly premium for the long term care portion of PACE and a premium for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. The exact amount depends in part on whether you have Medicare Part A, Part B or both.
However, you still won’t have a deductible, copayment or coinsurance for services, care or medications that your PACE team approves.
If You Don’t Have Medicare or Medicaid
It is possible to join PACE without Medicare or Medicaid if you otherwise qualify.
In that situation, Medicare says you can pay the PACE premium yourself.
Because this can be expensive, make sure you get the actual premium from your local PACE organization before making a decision.
Could You Qualify for Medicaid?
If PACE sounds right for you but you don’t currently receive Medicaid, it’s worth checking whether you qualify.
Medicaid eligibility varies by state. The program can help eligible people with limited income and resources pay for health care, including some services that Medicare does not normally cover, such as nursing home care and personal care services.
Some people have both Medicare and Medicaid. These beneficiaries are often called “dual eligible.”
Your state Medicaid agency can tell you whether you qualify and explain how to apply.
You can also explore Low Income Relief for more programs that may help with health care, food, housing and other essential expenses.
Relief Recap
PACE is an amazing program that has helped many of our viewers access the care that they need at home, with far less headache than traditional Medicare/Medicaid options can offer. It is highly recommended by those who use it, but people often don’t hear about it until it’s too late. Make sure to share this information with anyone you know who may benefit from it!
