PACE Program Oregon

PACE — the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly — is a managed care model that bundles every medical and social service a nursing-home-eligible senior needs into a single program. Instead of piecing together Medicare, Medicaid, prescriptions, therapy, and transportation separately, PACE wraps them into one coordinated package with a dedicated interdisciplinary care team. In Oregon, PACE is available only in specific counties through two providers.

Where PACE Is Available in Oregon

Providence ElderPlace serves the Portland metro area and the coast: all of Multnomah and Clatsop counties, plus designated areas of Washington, Tillamook, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. Effective July 11, 2026, ElderPlace expanded into additional zip codes — 97009 (Boring), 97089 (Damascus), 97022 (Eagle Creek), and 97055 (Sandy) in Clackamas County; 97131 (Nehalem) in Tillamook County; and 97016 (Clatskanie) in Columbia County.

AllCare PACE serves designated areas of Jackson and Josephine counties through a centralized health clinic in Grants Pass.

If your parent lives outside these service areas, PACE is not an option. The alternative pathway for community-based care is the Medicaid K Plan (Community First Choice), which is available statewide.

Who Qualifies

PACE eligibility requires:

• Age 55 or older
• Living in a PACE service area
• Meeting Oregon's clinical criteria for nursing home level of care (assessed at Service Priority Level 1–13 through the CAPS tool)

Financial arrangements depend on the participant's coverage; confirm current premiums and cost-sharing with the PACE organization.

What PACE Provides

The program covers all Medicare and Medicaid services, including:

• Primary and specialist medical care
• Prescription medications
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Adult day health services
• Social work and behavioral health support
• Non-medical transportation to PACE center activities and medical appointments
• Home care services
• Nursing facility care when community placement is no longer safe

The care team meets regularly to coordinate every aspect of the participant's health. Most participants attend an adult day center several times per week, where they receive therapy, socialization, meals, and medical monitoring.

The 2026 Patient Liability Change

An important policy shift took effect January 1, 2026: PACE participants receiving care in a licensed nursing facility or community-based residential facility are now required to pay a monthly patient liability toward room and board. This reverses a 2022 policy that had eliminated patient liability for PACE enrollees.

In practice, this means PACE participants in residential settings must contribute their monthly income (minus a personal needs allowance) toward room and board — the same patient liability structure that applies to standard Medicaid long-term care residents.

PACE vs. the K Plan

Both programs serve nursing-home-eligible seniors who want to stay in the community. The differences:

• Geographic reach: K Plan is statewide; PACE is limited to specific counties
• Care model: PACE integrates everything through one care team; K Plan coordinates services through your existing providers
• Enrollment: PACE requires giving up your current Medicare coverage and receiving all care through the PACE organization; K Plan works alongside existing Medicare
• Flexibility: K Plan participants choose their own doctors and providers; PACE participants use the PACE team

PACE is a strong fit for seniors who need intensive coordination and benefit from the social structure of an adult day center. The K Plan offers more provider flexibility and geographic availability.

Fitting PACE Into the Bigger Decision

Choosing between PACE, the K Plan, and private-pay options is one piece of a broader care decision that includes understanding legal authority documents, the CAPS functional assessment, facility types, and Medicaid financial eligibility. Our Oregon care decision guide walks through the entire sequence so each decision connects to the next.

See more Oregon guides →