The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation, supported by U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, that will improve efforts to reduce costs and strengthen comprehensive and coordinated health and long-term services for some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens. The Providing Programs of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly Act (PACE) Innovation Act will expand the current PACE program, which Sen. Warner has supported since he was Governor of Virginia, by allowing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to conduct demonstration projects involving the PACE Model of Care to improve health outcomes and reduce costs for seniors who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.
Earlier this year, the Senate passed the PACE Innovation Act, co-sponsored by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) with bipartisan support. The bill now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
“I have supported PACE programs since I was Governor of Virginia because they are great incubators for how we can better meet the needs of those with complex medical challenges,” Sen. Warner said. “As I continue to work with the Finance Committee’s bipartisan Chronic Care Working Group, I am focused on ensuring that healthcare providers collaborate to provide customized care for patients with chronic illness while simultaneously delivering financial savings to the system. PACE programs continue to provide great models for that effort.”
The PACE program provides comprehensive, fully integrated health care services to dually eligible individuals who require nursing home level care, but would like to remain in their homes. These individuals have been diagnosed with a complex mix of chronic illnesses and functional or cognitive impairments, such as dementia, that inhibit their ability to live independently. Current federal restrictions inhibit states’ flexibility to expand PACE programs. The PACE Innovation Act eases the current restrictions, improving the ability of states toprovide America’s seniors with higher-quality, more-efficient care.
Sen. Warner is leading a range of bipartisan efforts to improve Medicare benefits systems in order to provide comprehensive and long-term health care services for patients. Sen. Warner is the co-chair, along with Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), of the Senate Finance Committee’s bipartisan Chronic Care Working Group aimed at improving outcomes for Medicare patients living with one or more chronic conditions. Sen. Warner has also introduced a series of legislation to tailor care for patients, including the Care Planning Act and the Medicare Home Infusion Site of Care Act .
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Chris Graham
