PACE: Is It A Good Medicare and Medicaid At Home Care Alternative?

If you or a loved has been certified as requiring long term nursing home care, you may be eligible for the PACE program. This is a program for all inclusive care which works with Medicare and Medicaid . It provides services that allow an elderly patient to live at home. Is this program a good health care alternative for the elderly or not?

Advantages of PACE program

Unlike other Medicare and Medicaid programs, PACE is not based on fee for services. Instead, the providers are paid a flat monthly fee for each patient. The services include medical care, in-home assistance and social services.

An integral part of the program is Adult Day Health Centers where elderly patients are cared for during the hours that most family care givers are not available. PACE provides teaching services for family members to help them effectively care for the patient. Social workers are available to the patient and family members to assist them in coping with any difficulties.

The program is unique in that all providers and the family of the patient work as a team. Once a doctor has determined that a service is necessary, he will not be overruled by any other authority. The daily service providers work with each other, the doctor and the family to ensure the best possible care for the patient.

Disadvantages of PACE

PACE is not available in all jurisdictions. You must check with your state Medicare or Medicaid office to find out if it is available where you live. Plus, patients who are eligible for Medicare but not Medicaid will have to pay a monthly premium for the program. So far, most private insurers have not approved the program for coverage. You may want to check with your Medicare supplement insurer to see if they recognize the program. If you belong to an HMO or PPO, they may have an alternative program which they will cover in concert with Medicare.

The PACE program is relatively new and not all states have adopted it in their Medicare and Medicaid programs. More states will probably begin to include it as the cost of nursing home facilities rises. The program is only available to elderly patients that have been certified by a doctor as requiring nursing home care, so many people who require in-home assistance are not eligible. Patients eligible for this program are not capable of living alone. There must be a family member or other full time resident in the home to care for the patient.

Now, the choice of whether or not you will enroll in the PACE program is up to you. For people looking for the best ways to care for the family and for the elderly, this may be a feasible program. But for people with the tight budget and have no time to monitor their loved ones, placing the elderly in care homes is still favorable.

Article Source: http://www.freetextarticles.com

Leo J. Vidal, J.D., M.A., CPA has over 25 years experience in retirement planning. He is author of the book "The 76 Biggest Financial Mistakes Made by Retirees and What to do About Them." Read more information about PACE, Medicare and Medicaid through his website www.eldercaredollars.com.

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