Bill · H.R. 10547· House(119-HR-10547)
PACE Access Improvement Act
- Introduced
- 9/24/2026
- Last activity
- 9/24/2026 — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sponsored by
- Debbie Dingell
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
-
The PACE Access Improvement Act updates rules for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly under Medicare and Medicaid.
-
It allows eligible individuals to enroll in a PACE program at any time during a month, starting January 1, 2027.
-
The bill streamlines the application and approval processes for new PACE providers, service area expansions, and new center sites.
-
It requires states to offer PACE program services to eligible individuals after specific compliance dates.
-
It removes certain marketing and outreach restrictions for PACE programs to make it easier to reach prospective participants.
-
Finally, the legislation repeals outdated numerical limitations on the number of individuals who can be enrolled or programs that can operate.
Yes· 3 of 14
Would people over 65 be better off under this?+8
The bill directly improves healthcare access, enrollment flexibility, and service availability for older Americans under the PACE program.
Would retired people be better off under this?+8
Retirees benefit significantly from anytime enrollment, removal of enrollment caps, and broader availability of PACE programs.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+7
The legislation enables anytime enrollment, faster provider expansions, and removes numerical enrollment limits for PACE programs.
The opposite
Does this give the federal government more power?-4
The legislation imposes new federal mandates requiring states to offer PACE program services by specified compliance dates.
Does this leave more decisions to the states?-3
States are mandated to provide PACE services and face restrictions on setting numerical enrollment limits.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Section 2: Allows eligible individuals to enroll in a PACE program at any time during a month rather than waiting for a specific start date, and ensures payments are prorated. This makes joining the program more flexible and accessible for seniors when they need care.
-
Section 3: Speeds up approvals for new PACE providers, service areas, and center sites by automatically approving applications unless the Secretary denies them within 45 days. This can lead to faster availability of elderly care facilities and services in communities.
-
Section 4: Requires states to provide medical assistance for PACE program services to eligible individuals. This ensures that qualifying seniors will have access to these comprehensive care programs through their state medical assistance plans.
-
Section 5: Repeals burdensome regulatory restrictions on marketing, allowing PACE programs to conduct marketing activities and use conditionally approved materials as soon as they submit a complete application. This helps seniors and their families learn about available care options much sooner.
-
Section 6: Repeals outdated numerical limitations on PACE enrollments and provider operations. This removes artificial caps, allowing more elderly individuals to participate in these care programs.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 4: Mandates that states offer PACE program services and provide medical assistance by a set compliance date. For states that do not currently have these programs fully established, this could create a heavy administrative and financial burden to quickly set up the required infrastructure.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Retirees+8Good For Seniors+8Good For Low Income Households+6Good For Business Owners+5Good For People With Disabilities+5Good For Rural Residents+4Good For Veterans+4
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+7Increases Medicaid Funding+5Improves Veterans Healthcare+4
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+6
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+4
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3Increases Federal Power-4Increase States Rights-3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+3
- 9/24/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
John MoolenaarRepublican · Michigan