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Buckeye PACE outlines services, eligibility and September enrollments for Trumbull County
Summary
Buckeye PACE representatives told commissioners their new PACE centers in Trumbull County (and neighboring counties) will start participant enrollments Sept. 1; they outlined services, eligibility criteria, funding and partnerships with county agencies.
Buckeye PACE representatives described the program model, funding, eligibility and the company’s plans to open day centers in Trumbull and surrounding counties, with initial participant enrollments scheduled to begin Sept. 1.
Why this matters: PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) offers comprehensive medical and social supports that can be an alternative to nursing home placement for eligible seniors. The program is funded primarily through Medicare and Medicaid capitated payments. Local partnerships and referrals from county aging and veteran services could reduce wait lists for home- and community-based supports.
At the meeting, a Buckeye PACE vice president (who identified herself as a Trumbull County resident) said the program targets adults 55 and older who meet nursing-facility-level medical eligibility, are safe to serve at home and meet any state program enrollment rules. The presenter said Buckeye PACE has purchased three former Rite Aid properties in the region to serve as day-center locations and that the company completed readiness reviews with CMS and the Ohio Department of Aging.
Services the presenter listed include in-center primary care and specialty visits, home-based skilled nursing and therapies, personal care and home care, transportation to medical appointments and to the day center, prescription and medical supply coverage, behavioral health services, meals, and case-management oversight. The presenter said PACE provides 24/7 on-call nursing for non-emergency needs and can coordinate hospital and home transitions to prevent readmissions.
Funding and eligibility: Buckeye PACE staff said the program is paid by a single capitated monthly payment from Medicare and Medicaid and that, for many seniors, qualifying for PACE will also require applying for long-term care Medicaid; for eligible participants there are no co-pays or deductibles. The presenter said a PACE participant can keep an existing primary care physician if that provider communicates with the PACE care team.
Capacity and local partnerships: Buckeye PACE told commissioners a typical center can serve roughly 200 participants in census (with about half on-site at any time) and that the organization plans to grow capacity as demand rises. The presenter urged county senior services and veterans’ offices to refer high-acuity clients on wait lists for home-care services; she said PACE can act as a bridge and will work with county programs to transition participants if they later choose county-funded services.
Questions from commissioners included site selection criteria (walkability, existing building footprints and neighborhood access), program cost comparisons with nursing home care and how PACE coordinates with veterans’ benefits. Buckeye PACE said veterans retain their VA benefits and that recent federal attention (cited by the presenter as the Elizabeth Dole Act) encourages improved access to home- and community-based services for veterans.
Ending: Buckeye PACE representatives left business cards and asked to meet county aging and veteran services staff to coordinate referrals; the presenter invited commissioners to tour the new center after Sept. 1.
