Georgia PACE Program (2026): Eligibility, Enrollment, and Costs

The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, known as PACE, is one of the most comprehensive long-term care options in American Medicaid. A PACE organization receives capitated payments from Medicare and Medicaid and provides ALL covered services to its participants: primary care, specialty care, hospital, prescription drugs, physical and occupational therapy, day center attendance, home care, dental, vision, hearing, podiatry, transportation, meals, and social services. There are no copays, deductibles, or premiums for dual-eligible participants.

Georgia families often hear about PACE from out-of-state relatives or hospital social workers and ask how to enroll. The answer in Georgia is narrower than in most states. Georgia has exactly one PACE organization, run by Volunteers of America in metro Atlanta. Anyone living outside the metro Atlanta service area cannot access PACE in Georgia.

This guide explains the federal PACE statutory and regulatory framework, what PACE actually covers, who is eligible, how the only Georgia PACE site operates, what dual-eligibles pay, the interdisciplinary team model, the closed-network lock-in rule, and how PACE compares to Georgia's three statewide HCBS waivers (CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP).

Key Takeaways

• PACE is authorized by 42 USC 1395eee (Medicare) and 42 USC 1396u-4 (Medicaid), originally created by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Federal regulations are codified at 42 CFR Part 460.
• Georgia has ONE PACE organization in 2026: Volunteers of America Senior CommUnity Care of Georgia, serving parts of Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, and Cobb counties from a single center in Atlanta.
• To enroll in PACE you must be 55 or older, meet Georgia's nursing facility level of care, live in the PACE service area, and be able to live safely in the community with PACE services.
• Dual-eligible PACE participants (full Medicaid + Medicare) pay $0 for covered services. Medicare-only or Medicaid-only participants pay the missing capitation out of pocket monthly.
• PACE is a closed network: all non-emergency care must be approved by the interdisciplinary team and delivered by PACE-contracted providers. Going outside the network without authorization is not covered by PACE OR by Medicare/Medicaid.

What PACE is and where it came from

PACE began in 1971 as a community-based health program called On Lok Senior Health Services, founded in San Francisco's Chinatown to serve frail Chinese American elders who wanted to stay in their community rather than enter nursing homes. The On Lok model integrated medical care, social services, and adult day services under a single team, with capitated funding from Medicare and Medicaid.

In 1986, the Health Care Financing Administration (now CMS) granted waivers for On Lok replications. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA-97) made PACE a permanent benefit under both Medicare (42 USC 1395eee) and Medicaid (42 USC 1396u-4). Federal regulations at 42 CFR Part 460 set the operational rules: who can run a PACE organization, who can enroll, what services must be provided, how the interdisciplinary team must be staffed, how quality is measured, and how complaints and appeals are handled.

Most PACE organizations operate one or a small number of day centers serving a defined geographic area. PACE remains a small but high-impact program, with documented reductions in hospitalization and long-stay nursing facility admission rates.

The Georgia PACE landscape

Georgia has one PACE organization in operation in 2026: Volunteers of America Senior CommUnity Care of Georgia, headquartered in Atlanta. VOA Senior CommUnity Care is the first and only PACE site in the state.

The Atlanta PACE center is located in metro Atlanta and serves a defined service area covering portions of Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, and Cobb counties. The exact ZIP code list is set by CMS and DCH and changes periodically as the organization expands or adjusts capacity. Prospective enrollees should call VOA at 1-404-541-0260 to confirm whether their home address is in the current service area.

The center capacity is limited. PACE organizations grow by adding day center seats, staff, and transportation routes. Adding a second day center in a new geographic area requires a CMS application and a Georgia state license. Other PACE operators have looked at Georgia entry over the years, but the combination of regulatory burden, capital cost, and Medicaid rate uncertainty has kept new entrants out.

The practical consequence is that residents of north Georgia (Rome, Dalton, Gainesville), central Georgia (Macon, Warner Robins, Columbus, Augusta), and south Georgia (Albany, Valdosta, Savannah, Brunswick) have NO PACE access. They must use CCSP, SOURCE, or ICWP for home and community-based services, or enter a nursing facility if level of care requires it.

Federal PACE eligibility (42 USC 1395eee(b))

Federal law sets four eligibility requirements, all of which must be met to enroll in PACE:

1. Age 55 or older. Most participants are 70+, but enrollment is permitted at 55. The PACE Innovation Act of 2015 authorized pilots for younger adults with disabilities, but those pilots have not produced broad implementation, and standard PACE remains 55+.
2. Nursing facility level of care. The participant must meet the state's NF level of care criteria. In Georgia, the LOC instrument is the same one used for CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP. It assesses activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, eating, continence), instrumental activities of daily living (medication management, meals, transportation, finances), cognitive function, behavior, skilled nursing needs, and medical complexity.
3. Live in the PACE service area. Service areas are CMS-approved ZIP code lists. In Georgia, that is the VOA Atlanta service area.
4. Be able to live safely in the community at the time of enrollment. PACE is a community-based alternative to nursing facility care. The IDT must be able to design a plan of care that keeps the participant safe at home with PACE services. If safety cannot be assured even with PACE, enrollment is denied.

Enrollment is voluntary. Disenrollment is also voluntary and can be requested at any time, with the disenrollment effective at the end of the month following the request.

Financial eligibility (Medicaid side)

To enroll in PACE as a dual-eligible (the most common case), the participant must qualify for Georgia Medicaid under a long-term care pathway. The relevant pathways are:

• Special Income Limit (SIL) at 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate, with a $2,000 resource limit and spousal impoverishment protections for a community spouse
• Miller Trust pathway for applicants whose gross income exceeds $2,982 per month, requiring an irrevocable qualified income trust under 42 USC 1396p(d)(4)(B)
• Categorical ABD if income is below 100% FPL and resources are below $2,000

For more on the underlying financial eligibility framework, see the Georgia Medicaid eligibility guide and the Georgia Miller Trust guide.

If a prospective participant has Medicare but no Medicaid, they can enroll in PACE by paying the Medicaid capitation out of pocket. The Medicaid PMPM in Georgia is substantial. Few Medicare-only individuals choose private-pay PACE because the cost is similar to nursing facility private-pay; PACE generally costs less than NF private-pay, but the absolute dollar amount is still significant.

Services covered by PACE (42 CFR 460.150)

PACE provides every Medicare-covered and Medicaid-covered service, plus additional services authorized by the IDT. The service package includes:

Medical: primary care delivered at the PACE center by the PACE PCP, specialty care, hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, emergency services, urgent care, skilled nursing facility care (when medically necessary), home health, hospice, laboratory and diagnostic, radiology and imaging.

Pharmacy: all prescription drugs. PACE does NOT use a separate Medicare Part D plan; the PACE organization handles all pharmacy directly through its own dispensing or contracted pharmacy.

Therapies: physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, recreational therapy, all delivered at the day center or, when appropriate, in the home.

Adult day services: attendance at the PACE Day Center, typically 1 to 5 days per week per the IDT plan of care. Meals served at the center. Group activities, exercise, socialization, cognitive stimulation.

Personal care and home services: home care attendants for bathing, dressing, toileting, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and supervision as needed.

Transportation: PACE vans pick up participants for day center attendance and for medical appointments at PACE-contracted providers.

Dental, vision, hearing, podiatry: covered at the center or by contracted specialists.

Durable medical equipment: wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, oxygen, CPAP, prosthetics, orthotics, and other DME.

Home modifications: medically necessary modifications such as grab bars, ramps, and bathroom safety equipment.

Caregiver support: respite, education, counseling for family caregivers.

Mental health: counseling, psychiatry, and substance use treatment when needed.

What PACE does NOT cover: non-medically-necessary cosmetic procedures, experimental treatments not approved by the IDT, and (most importantly) any non-emergency care delivered outside the PACE network without prior IDT authorization.

The closed-network lock-in

The single most important practical feature of PACE is the closed-network rule. When a participant enrolls in PACE, they agree that ALL non-emergency care will be provided through the PACE organization or through providers contracted with PACE. If they go outside the network without IDT authorization for non-emergency care, three things happen:

1. PACE will not pay for that care
2. Traditional Medicare will not pay because the participant has elected PACE in place of standard Medicare
3. Traditional Medicaid will not pay for the same reason

The participant is liable for the full bill.

True emergencies are different. If a participant has a heart attack while visiting relatives in Florida and goes to the nearest hospital, PACE covers the emergency care under the prudent layperson standard. Once stabilized, PACE manages the transition back to in-network care.

This lock-in is the trade-off of PACE: comprehensive coverage and zero copays in exchange for accepting a defined network and IDT-coordinated care. The participant gives up the right to self-refer to any Medicare provider in the country.

For most frail elders with limited mobility and dense in-area medical needs, the trade-off is acceptable. For someone with an established out-of-town oncologist or a strong preference for their existing PCP, PACE may not be the right fit.

The interdisciplinary team

The IDT is the operational heart of PACE. Federal PACE regulations require the IDT to include, at minimum:

• Primary care physician
• Registered nurse
• Master's-level social worker
• Physical therapist
• Occupational therapist
• Recreational therapist or activities coordinator
• Dietitian
• PACE Day Center supervisor or coordinator
• Home care coordinator
• Personal care attendant representative
• Driver representative

The IDT meets regularly and assesses each participant individually. The plan of care is reviewed and updated at least every six months and any time a significant change in condition occurs.

The IDT model creates accountability for the whole participant rather than for a single body system or service category. Every decision (whether to authorize a specialist consult, whether to add home care hours, whether to change medications, whether to admit to a skilled nursing facility for a short stay) goes through the team. This integration is what produces PACE's documented outcome advantages.

The PACE Day Center

The PACE Day Center is the physical center of the program. Participants attend the center according to their plan of care, anywhere from one day a week to five days a week. A typical day at the center:

• PACE van picks up the participant at home in the morning
• Arrival at the center between 8 and 9 AM
• Vital signs check by RN
• Breakfast or snack
• Morning therapy session (PT, OT) if scheduled
• Group activities: exercise class, music, art, socialization, cognitive games
• Medical appointment if scheduled, with the PACE PCP at the center clinic
• Lunch (medically appropriate, prepared on-site, accommodating diabetic, renal, and dysphagia diets)
• Afternoon activities or rest
• Pharmacy pickup if needed
• PACE van returns the participant home in mid-afternoon

The center is also the hub for non-day-center services. Specialty consultations may be scheduled at the center. Dental and podiatry are delivered at the center. Pharmacy is dispensed at the center pharmacy. Social work and care coordination meetings happen at the center.

The VOA Atlanta center includes primary care exam rooms, a dental suite, a podiatry chair, a therapy gym, a dining hall, multiple activity rooms, social work offices, and a dispensing pharmacy.

Enrollment in Georgia PACE

The enrollment process at VOA PACE Atlanta typically runs as follows:

1. Referral. A family member, hospital social worker, AAA care coordinator, primary care physician, or the prospective participant themselves contacts VOA at 1-404-541-0260.
2. Initial screening. VOA staff verify that the address is in the service area, the prospective participant is 55+, and there is plausible evidence of NF LOC.
3. In-home assessment. A VOA nurse or social worker visits the home and assesses ADLs, IADLs, medical conditions, cognition, social support, safety, and willingness to attend the day center.
4. Level of care determination. GA Medicaid LOC assessment is requested through DCH. The assessment must confirm NF LOC.
5. Medicaid eligibility. If the prospective participant is not already on LTC Medicaid, VOA assists with the DFCS application. This is where the SIL pathway or Miller Trust setup happens.
6. Enrollment agreement. The participant signs the PACE enrollment agreement, acknowledging the closed-network lock-in, the day center expectations, and the right to disenroll at any time.
7. Effective date. Enrollment is effective the first day of the month following completion of all eligibility steps. The participant disenrolls from any existing Medicare Advantage or Part D plan as part of the transition.
8. Initial plan of care. The IDT completes an individualized plan of care within 30 days of enrollment. The plan is reviewed and updated at least every six months thereafter.

VOA handles most of the application coordination. The participant or family does not need to navigate DCH and DFCS separately.

What dual-eligible PACE participants pay

For a dual-eligible PACE participant in Georgia, the financial picture is:

• Medicare Part B premium: paid by Medicaid through the QMB or QMB-Plus designation that PACE dual-eligibles typically hold
• Medicare Part A premium: typically $0 because most participants have 40+ quarters of work history
• Medicare Part D premium: not applicable; PACE covers drugs
• Medicare deductibles and coinsurance: $0; PACE absorbs all cost-sharing
• Medicaid premiums or copays: $0
• Patient liability for PACE services: $0 for SIL-pathway dual-eligibles; for Miller Trust participants, the trust distributes the personal needs allowance, the Part B premium (if not already paid by MSP), and the patient liability to the PACE organization
• Personal needs allowance: the HCBS community maintenance allowance applies because PACE is treated as community-based, not institutional; the participant retains net income after patient liability for personal expenses

The bottom line is that a dual-eligible PACE participant in Georgia who qualifies under the SIL pathway pays nothing in monthly out-of-pocket costs for covered services. This is one of the most comprehensive coverage arrangements in American health care.

For Miller Trust PACE participants, the trust handles the patient liability flow. The mechanic is identical to a Miller Trust for NF placement, with the patient liability flowing to the PACE organization rather than the nursing home.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PACE program in Georgia?

PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. It is a Medicare and Medicaid managed care benefit authorized by 42 USC 1395eee and 42 USC 1396u-4, regulated at 42 CFR Part 460. PACE organizations receive capitated payments from Medicare and Medicaid and provide ALL covered services to enrolled participants: primary care, specialty care, hospital, prescription drugs, therapies, home care, day center attendance, dental, vision, hearing, transportation, meals, and social services. In Georgia, there is one PACE organization, Volunteers of America Senior CommUnity Care of Georgia, serving parts of metro Atlanta.

Where in Georgia is PACE available?

PACE is available only in metro Atlanta through Volunteers of America Senior CommUnity Care of Georgia. The service area includes portions of Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, and Cobb counties. Exact ZIP codes are set by CMS and DCH and change periodically. Call VOA at 1-404-541-0260 to confirm whether your home address is in the current service area. The rest of Georgia, including Macon, Augusta, Savannah, Columbus, Albany, and northern and southern Georgia, has no PACE access.

Who qualifies for PACE in Georgia?

Four federal requirements: (1) age 55 or older; (2) meet Georgia's nursing facility level of care criteria; (3) live in the PACE service area; (4) be able to live safely in the community with PACE services at the time of enrollment. For dual-eligible enrollment (the most common case), the participant must also qualify for Georgia LTC Medicaid under the SIL pathway (income at or below $2,982 per month, resources at or below $2,000) or with a Miller Trust if income exceeds $2,982.

What does PACE cover?

PACE covers ALL Medicare and Medicaid services plus IDT-authorized additional services. The list includes primary care, specialty care, hospital, emergency, urgent care, skilled nursing facility (when needed), home health, hospice, all prescription drugs, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreational therapy, adult day services at the PACE center, personal care, transportation, meals, dental, vision, hearing, podiatry, durable medical equipment, prosthetics, home modifications, mental health, and caregiver support. There are no separate Part D plans or Medicare Advantage plans; PACE replaces them.

How much does PACE cost?

For dual-eligible participants (full Medicaid + Medicare), $0 in monthly premiums, copays, or deductibles for covered services. For Medicare-only participants, the participant pays the Medicaid capitation out of pocket monthly (approximately $4,000 to $6,000 in Georgia depending on the rate cycle). For Medicaid-only participants under 65 with disability, costs depend on income and the Medicare-equivalent capitation. Most PACE participants nationally and in Georgia are dual-eligibles.

Can I keep my doctor if I enroll in PACE?

No. When you enroll in PACE, your primary care physician is the PACE PCP at the day center. You may be able to maintain a relationship with a specialist if that specialist is in the PACE network, but the IDT approves all care, and your previous PCP no longer manages your care. This is one of the trade-offs of PACE: comprehensive coverage and care coordination in exchange for accepting the PACE network and the IDT model.

What is the difference between PACE and CCSP or SOURCE?

PACE is a capitated, fully integrated Medicare-Medicaid program with a closed network, an interdisciplinary team, and a required day center attendance. It covers all medical AND social services through the PACE organization. CCSP and SOURCE are 1915(c) HCBS waivers that provide a defined set of community-based services (personal care, respite, adult day, home modifications) while the participant keeps their standard Medicare and standard Medicaid. CCSP and SOURCE are statewide; PACE is metro Atlanta only.

How do I enroll in PACE in Georgia?

Call VOA Senior CommUnity Care of Georgia at 1-404-541-0260. VOA staff will verify service area, screen for likely eligibility, schedule an in-home assessment, request a GA Medicaid LOC assessment through DCH, assist with the LTC Medicaid application through DFCS if needed, prepare the enrollment agreement, and coordinate the effective date and plan of care. The full enrollment process typically takes 30 to 60 days.

Can I disenroll from PACE if it does not work out?

Yes. Disenrollment is voluntary and can be requested at any time. The disenrollment is effective at the end of the month following the request. After disenrollment, the participant returns to standard Medicare and standard Medicaid (and reenrolls in a Part D plan and a Medicare Advantage plan if desired). PACE cannot involuntarily disenroll a participant except for specific causes such as moving out of the service area, failure to pay private-pay obligations, or behavior that materially threatens the safety of staff or other participants.

Does PACE cover nursing home care if I eventually need it?

Yes. PACE includes skilled nursing facility care and long-term nursing facility care when the IDT determines it is medically necessary and the participant can no longer be safely served at home. The PACE organization covers the cost. Most PACE participants do not move to long-term NF care because the program is designed to delay or avoid NF placement, but PACE is not a barrier to NF placement when it becomes appropriate.

Worked example 1: Mrs. Carter, 78, dual-eligible, East Atlanta

Mrs. Carter lives in a small house in the 30316 ZIP code. She is 78, widowed, with one adult daughter who works full time in DeKalb County. Her conditions are severe rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, mild dementia, and a history of falls (two in the last six months). She receives $1,100 per month from Social Security and a $300 small pension, for a total income of $1,400. Her resources are $1,200 in checking and a paid-off home.

Her income $1,400 exceeds the ABD categorical limit ($1,330) but is well below the SIL ($2,982). Her resources are below $2,000. She qualifies for LTC Medicaid under the SIL pathway.

The daughter, after researching options, calls VOA PACE at 1-404-541-0260. VOA confirms 30316 is in the service area. A VOA nurse visits Mrs. Carter at home for the initial assessment. ADLs: needs assistance with bathing and dressing; transfers with assist; continent; eats independently. IADLs: cannot manage medications, meals, or finances without help. Cognition: mild dementia, MoCA 18/30. Falls: yes.

DCH conducts the LOC assessment. NF LOC is met.

VOA assists with the LTC Medicaid application at DFCS. Approval comes within 45 days.

Mrs. Carter enrolls in PACE effective the first of the following month. Her plan of care includes:

• Day center attendance 3 days per week
• PT 2x per week at the center
• OT 1x per week
• Home care 4 hours per day, 5 days per week (bathing, light housekeeping, meal prep, medication supervision)
• PACE PCP at the center, monthly visit
• Pharmacy at the PACE center pharmacy
• Transportation by PACE van for all center and medical visits
• Lunch provided at the center on attendance days
• Caregiver support for daughter (respite, education)

Cost to Mrs. Carter: $0 per month. Cost to the daughter: $0 per month for care; she still helps with weekends.

Outcome at 12 months: no hospitalizations, no falls requiring ED visits, dementia stabilized with center activities, daughter reports caregiver burden significantly reduced.

Worked example 2: Mr. Johnson, 65, Medicare-only, north Atlanta

Mr. Johnson is 65, recently retired from a long career as a corporate attorney. He has primary progressive multiple sclerosis and is now using a power wheelchair full-time. He needs personal care assistance with bathing, dressing, transfers, and toileting. He lives alone in a north Atlanta condo.

His income is $4,500 per month from retirement accounts and Social Security. His resources are $300,000 in retirement and brokerage accounts plus the condo.

He has Medicare (under 65 SSDI route, now aged in). He has no Medicaid. He does not qualify for Medicaid in Georgia because his income and resources are far above the LTC limits.

He could enroll in PACE as a Medicare-only private-pay participant. He would pay the Medicaid capitation out of pocket, approximately $5,500 per month, or $66,000 per year.

His alternatives:

• Continue private home care plus Medicare home health when qualifying. Cost: similar or higher, but fragmented.
• Spend down resources to $2,000 to qualify for Medicaid, then convert to dual-eligible PACE. Time to spend down: approximately 5 years at $66k/year, but he could also spend on permitted asset categories (home modifications, prepaid funeral, paid-off mortgage if any).
• Move to a CCRC (continuing care retirement community) with private pay.

He chooses private-pay PACE because comprehensive coordinated care is worth the cost compared to fragmented self-managed services. After two years of private-pay, his resources are at $170,000. He continues private-pay PACE.

Worked example 3: Mrs. Williams, 82, Macon

Mrs. Williams lives in Macon. She is 82, has advanced Parkinson's disease, needs assistance with all ADLs, and has mild cognitive impairment. Her family has researched PACE and wants to enroll her.

Macon is approximately 80 miles south of Atlanta and is NOT in the VOA service area. PACE is not available in Macon.

Her alternatives:

• SOURCE waiver: statewide HCBS waiver providing care coordination through a SOURCE primary care site. Mrs. Williams keeps her existing Medicare and PCP and adds HCBS services (personal care, adult day, respite, home modifications, NEMT).
• CCSP waiver: similar HCBS package; available statewide.
• Move to metro Atlanta: typically not realistic for an 82-year-old with advanced disease.
• Nursing facility: if home services are insufficient, NF Medicaid under the SIL pathway.

The family enrolls Mrs. Williams in SOURCE. She is assigned to a SOURCE primary care site in Macon. She receives personal care 6 hours per day, attends adult day services 3 days per week (through a local provider), and has home modifications installed (grab bars, ramp). She keeps her existing PCP and her Medicare Advantage plan, which differs from PACE.

The family is initially disappointed that PACE is not available, but with SOURCE they achieve a substantial portion of the PACE benefit package without leaving Macon.

How PACE compares to Georgia HCBS waivers

PACE is unique in being a fully integrated Medicare-Medicaid program with a closed network and a single accountable team. CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP are HCBS waivers that wrap a service package around the participant's existing Medicare and Medicaid coverage.

Common mistakes Georgia families make

Several patterns recur in family conversations and intake calls.

Believing PACE is available statewide. It is metro Atlanta only. Confirm the service area before investing time in the application.

Assuming the participant keeps their existing PCP. PACE assigns a new PCP at the center. This is a deal-breaker for some families and a non-issue for others; the conversation should happen early.

Thinking PACE is similar to a Medicare Advantage plan. PACE is more restrictive than Medicare Advantage. The closed network includes ALL services, not just primary and specialty care.

Believing PACE requires a 5-day-per-week center commitment. Center attendance frequency is set by the IDT based on need and preference. Some participants attend 1-2 days; others attend 4-5 days.

Confusing PACE with adult day care. PACE is comprehensive integrated care managed by an interdisciplinary team. Adult day care is a single service. The day center is one component of PACE, not the whole program.

Believing PACE replaces only Medicare. PACE replaces Medicare AND Medicaid AND Part D AND Medicare Advantage. Participants disenroll from all separate plans.

Thinking any out-of-network use voids PACE eligibility. Only non-emergency, non-authorized out-of-network use is not covered. True emergencies anywhere in the US are covered.

Believing PACE has long wait lists like HCBS waivers. VOA PACE Atlanta has capacity limits but generally moves applicants through faster than HCBS waiver wait lists.

Assuming PACE will pay for any treatment the participant wants. The IDT must authorize. Treatments outside the plan of care, including some specialist consults or out-of-area procedures, may not be authorized.

Believing PACE excludes hospice. PACE covers hospice. A participant can elect Medicare hospice through PACE; the IDT coordinates end-of-life care.

Thinking dual-eligibles apply to PACE through DCH. Dual-eligibles apply directly to VOA PACE Atlanta. VOA coordinates the LOC determination and the LTC Medicaid application.

Confusing PACE with Pathways to Coverage. These are entirely separate programs. PACE is for frail elders 55+ meeting NF LOC. Pathways is the limited 1115 demonstration for adults 19-64 below 100% FPL with qualifying activity.

Believing Medicare-only enrollees join at no cost. Medicare-only participants pay the Medicaid capitation out of pocket, typically $4,000-$6,000 per month.

Assuming PACE day center attendance is mandatory every day. Frequency is per the IDT plan.

Thinking PACE will deliver everything at home. PACE delivers many services at home (personal care, some therapy, some PCP visits), but day center attendance is a structural component. The center is the locus of medical care, therapy gym, dental, podiatry, and group activities.

What to do if you live outside the VOA service area

If you live outside metro Atlanta and are interested in PACE-like comprehensive care, your options are:

1. SOURCE waiver: closest analog. SOURCE primary care sites coordinate medical and HCBS care, with the participant retaining standard Medicare and standard Medicaid. SOURCE operates statewide.
2. CCSP waiver: HCBS package without the integrated primary care.
3. ICWP waiver: if the participant is 21-64 with severe physical disability.
4. Standard Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) for dual-eligibles: integrated Medicare + Medicaid coordination through specific dual-eligible plans available in Georgia. Less integrated than PACE but available statewide.
5. Private LTC insurance plus home care plus Medicare Advantage: a fragmented but functional package.

None of these replicate PACE exactly, but SOURCE in particular delivers a substantial portion of the integrated care benefit without the closed-network lock-in.

Get help with Georgia PACE enrollment and alternatives

If you live in metro Atlanta and want to learn whether PACE is right for you or a family member, call VOA Senior CommUnity Care of Georgia. If you live outside the service area, contact your local Area Agency on Aging or Empowerline to learn about SOURCE, CCSP, and other options. For more about how Brevy researches and updates these guides, visit brevy.com.

Learn More

• Georgia Medicaid
• Georgia long-term care Medicaid
• Georgia CCSP waiver (Community Care Services Program)
• Georgia SOURCE waiver
• Georgia ICWP waiver (Independent Care Waiver Program)
• Georgia dual-eligibles (Medicare and Medicaid)

Find personalized help weighing PACE against Georgia's HCBS waivers at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.