DUALS Act of 2024 Would Dramatically Expand Access To the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A Senate bill -- the Delivering United Access to Lifesaving Services (DUALS) Act of 2024 – was introduced by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and would dramatically increase access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).

The National PACE Association (NPA) strongly supports the bill and urges passage. NPA has worked diligently with the bill's sponsors to ensure that the PACE model of care is more easily accessed by the millions of Americans who would benefit.

In a letter to the bill's sponsors, NPA President and CEO Shawn Bloom said:

"We applaud your visionary leadership seeking to increase care integration for individuals covered by both Medicare and Medicaid, which will improve both their health status and quality of life. NPA commends you for embracing the critical role the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) will have in achieving those aims for older adults and those living with disabilities."

Designed to ease frustrations in seeking care through Medicare and Medicaid for those who have insurance coverage through both programs and who are known as "dual eligibles," the bill has several provisions that would make PACE more widely available. Enrollees in PACE, who would be appropriate for a nursing home level of care, instead live in their own homes and are cared for through a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers.

PACE is viewed by several non-partisan think tanks and leading aging experts as a model that would help solve the elder care crisis currently facing the U.S.

The bill would expand access to PACE in several key ways:

• Require all states to offer PACE to eligible individuals  
• Permit PACE organizations to enroll participants any time rather than just on the first of the month  
• Extend eligibility for PACE to Medicare-eligible individuals under the age of 55  
• Remove quarterly restrictions for submission of both new PACE organization applications and service area expansion applications  
• Ensure that Medicare-only PACE program enrollees have a choice of prescription drug plans under Medicare part D  

The National PACE Association (NPA) works to advance the efforts of PACE programs, which coordinate and provide preventive, primary, acute, and long-term care services so older individuals can continue living in the community. The PACE model of care is centered on the belief that it is better for the well-being of seniors with chronic care needs and their families to be served in the community whenever possible. For more information, visit http://www.NPAonline.org and follow @TweetNPA.

SOURCE National PACE Association