TL;DR
Get health and wellness essentials delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Reps. Debbie Dingell and John Moolenaar introduced the PACE Access Improvement Act on Sept. 24. The bill would make PACE mandatory under Medicaid, change when enrollment takes effect and ease restrictions on expanding programs, but its prospects for passage in 2026 are uncertain.
Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) introduced the PACE Access Improvement Act on Sept. 24, proposing to make the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly a mandatory Medicaid service and ease restrictions that can limit enrollment and provider growth. The bipartisan proposal would change how older adults access a program that provides nursing home-level care at home, though its path through Congress remains uncertain.
The bill would let PACE enrollment take effect any day of the month. Under current federal policy described in the source report, enrollment generally begins on the first day of the month after a provider receives an agreement. The proposed change is intended to reduce the wait between entering an agreement and receiving coverage.
The legislation would also shift PACE from an optional to a mandatory Medicaid program in every state. States that already have at least one PACE provider would have 180 days after enactment to comply; states without a program would have three years. The bill would repeal certain marketing restrictions and numerical limits on PACE program agreements, as well as remove limitations on applications to become a PACE organization.
The National PACE Association reports that 33 states and the District of Columbia currently offer PACE, with 204 locations. Those figures describe current availability; they do not establish how many new programs the bill would create. The proposal has support from the National PACE Association, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement and the American Association on Health and Disability.
How Medicaid Rules Could Expand PACE
If enacted, the bill would make PACE available as a required Medicaid service across states, changing its status from an option states may adopt. The enrollment timing change could also shorten the wait for coverage after a participant agreement, while changes to marketing and program limits could give providers more room to establish or expand services. The scale and pace of any resulting growth are not specified in the source report.
PACE combines medical and social services for older adults who need nursing home-level care but can receive it in their homes and communities. Its reach matters to families seeking alternatives to institutional care and to people waiting for home and community-based services. Dingell said Americans remain on waitlists for such services; the bill’s supporters argue that expanding PACE could help address access gaps, though the legislation’s effect on waitlists has not been measured.
PACE Availability Across States
PACE operates under both Medicare and Medicaid and serves eligible older adults with high care needs in their homes and communities. Under current policy, states decide whether to offer the program. The reported count of 33 states and the District of Columbia with PACE reflects that optional structure.
Seen Health, a Los Angeles-based provider of culturally informed PACE services for older adults of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage in Southern California, supports the proposal. LeadingAge, an advocacy association for nonprofit aging-services providers, also supports it. The source report says LeadingAge considers passage by the end of 2026 unlikely, despite the bill’s bipartisan sponsorship and backing from several organizations.
“Giving programs more flexibility to enroll people when they need care and making it easier for proven programs to open new centers would let providers like Seen Health reach more of the communities that need this model most.”
— Xing Su, Seen Health co-founder and CEO, to Home Health Care News
Passage and Expansion Remain Uncertain
The source report says passage by the end of 2026 is unlikely, according to LeadingAge. The bill’s legislative schedule, prospects for committee action and the details of any changes during consideration are not established in the available material. A Senate companion has not yet been introduced.
It is also unclear how many states would need to build new PACE programs, how quickly providers could open additional locations, or how those changes would affect access and waitlists. The 204-location count is a current figure, not a forecast of future growth.
Senate Proposal Expected This Year
A companion bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate by the end of 2026. Its introduction would provide the next indication of congressional support, but the source report gives no timeline for votes or enactment. The proposed state compliance periods—180 days for states with PACE and three years for states without it—would begin only after the bill became law.
Key Questions
What would the PACE Access Improvement Act change?
It would make PACE mandatory under Medicaid in every state, allow enrollment to take effect any day of the month, and remove certain marketing restrictions and limits on program agreements and applications.
Is PACE currently available in every state?
No. The National PACE Association reports that 33 states and the District of Columbia currently offer the program, with 204 locations.
When would states have to comply?
If enacted, states with at least one PACE provider would have 180 days to comply. States without PACE would have three years.
Has the bill passed?
The source report describes it as introduced on Sept. 24, 2026. It does not report passage, and LeadingAge said enactment by the end of 2026 was unlikely.
What happens next?
A companion bill is expected in the Senate by the end of 2026. No vote or enactment date is specified in the source report.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
