Medical care
Primary care, specialists, hospital care, tests and prescription medicines coordinated by the PACE team.
MURRIETA · MENIFEE · LAKE ELSINORE · PERRIS
Could the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) fit your care needs?
If you or someone you care about keeps changing plans or doctors but still cannot get the help needed, PACE may be worth learning about. It brings medical care and day-to-day support together for some older adults who need more help to live safely at home.
PACE is different from a regular Medicare Advantage plan. A PACE program coordinates your care through its own medical team and support services.
WHEN CARE STILL DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT
You may need more than another plan change.
It may be time to ask about a more connected kind of care if you are dealing with several of these situations:
- You see different doctors, but no one seems to be coordinating the whole picture.
- A chronic health problem makes it hard to manage appointments, medicines or daily routines.
- You have had falls, repeated urgent visits or trouble getting to medical appointments.
- You need help with tasks like bathing, dressing, preparing meals or moving around safely.
- You feel isolated, or emotional health is making it harder to manage day-to-day care.
These experiences do not automatically qualify someone for PACE. Loneliness, depression or a diagnosis alone is not enough. California must determine that the person needs a nursing-home level of care, and the person must still be able to live safely in the community with PACE support.
ONE TEAM, A PERSONAL CARE PLAN
What kind of help can PACE include?
The PACE team looks at medical, daily-living and social needs together. Services are based on an assessment and the person's care plan; not every person receives every service.
Help at home
Depending on assessed needs, support may include home care, personal care, nursing, equipment and physical, occupational or speech therapy.
Getting there and staying connected
Transportation to the PACE center and medical appointments, social services, meals and activities at a center may be part of the care plan.
More care when needed
Dental care, counseling, nutrition services and nursing-home care may also be included when the care team determines they are needed.
How often someone visits a center depends on their needs and care plan. Ask the local program what services are available near your home.
WHO MAY QUALIFY
There are five requirements for this local program.
To be considered for the local PACE program, a person generally must:
- Be 55 or older.
- Live in that program's approved service area. The exact home ZIP code matters.
- Meet California's nursing-home-level-of-care requirement. The state makes this decision after an assessment.
- Be able to live safely in the community with the help PACE can provide.
- Have Medi-Cal. Medicare is not required if you have Medi-Cal.
“Nursing-home level of care” does not mean you have to move into a nursing home. It means the state finds you need that level of care, and the PACE team believes you can still live safely in the community with support. If you have Medicare but not Medi-Cal, call me to discuss whether applying for Medi-Cal may be a next step. Medi-Cal eligibility is determined separately and is not guaranteed.
You can explore PACE any time of year. You do not have to wait for Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). Once eligibility is confirmed and the PACE organization receives the signed enrollment agreement, enrollment generally starts on the first day of the following month.
A DIFFERENT WAY TO RECEIVE CARE
PACE brings your coverage, care team and care center together.
PACE is an alternative to getting your coverage through a regular Medicare Advantage plan. The PACE program handles the coverage and payment for your approved care, provides care through its own doctors and team, and may serve you at a local center and at home.
Because care is coordinated through the PACE team, you should expect to use its doctors for routine care. Your current doctors may not be available unless they are part of or approved by the program. We can talk through how the program works before you decide whether to take another step.
Let's check whether the care team and services fit your needs before you make a change.
LOCAL PACE IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY
Your ZIP code can determine which program serves you.
PACE service areas are made up of specific ZIP codes. Some parts of Murrieta, Menifee, Lake Elsinore and Perris may fall within a local program's service area, but the city name by itself does not confirm eligibility. A nearby ZIP code can have a different answer.
Call me and we'll go through a needs analysis and check whether your ZIP code is in the service area. I can help you understand the next steps without having to sort through program directories on your own.
SUPPORT FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
PACE may offer more than medical appointments.
Depending on the local program and each person's care plan, support may include everyday services that make it easier to get care and stay connected.
- Transportation to the PACE center and medical appointments.
- Meals and social activities at the center.
- Personal-care services, which may include haircuts at the center.
- Help coordinating medical care, therapies and support at home.
Services vary by program and individual need. During our needs analysis, we can discuss what kind of support you are looking for and help you find out what the local PACE program offers.
A CLEAR FIRST STEP
Let's see whether PACE is worth exploring for you.
I'm Franco Stella. I've been licensed since 2007 and have helped Riverside County residents understand their Medicare and Medi-Cal choices. I'm a Riverside County resident, too.
When you call, we'll go through a needs analysis to see whether PACE may be the right fit for you. I'll check your ZIP code and, if it seems like a possible fit, help you understand the next steps. The PACE organization and California make the official eligibility decision.
There is no cost for my help. If I assist with an enrollment, the PACE program may compensate me; I'll explain the arrangement for that program before you decide whether to proceed.
Talk it through with Franco
Start with your city or ZIP code and the care questions you want answered.
Call (951) 404-0642Prefer to schedule? Book a Medicare call. Medicare is not required if you have Medi-Cal.
Official PACE information
Reviewed September 30, 2026. Service areas, eligibility and costs can vary. Confirm current details with the program before enrolling.
PACE questions from Riverside County families
Straightforward answers before you decide whether to explore PACE.
What does PACE mean?
PACE means Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. It is a coordinated medical and social-care program for some adults age 55 and older who need nursing-home-level care but can live safely in the community with PACE support.
Does a chronic illness or depression automatically qualify someone for PACE?
No. A chronic illness, loneliness or depression by itself does not qualify someone for PACE. The person must meet California's nursing-home-level-of-care assessment, live in the program's service area and be able to live safely in the community with support.
Can I keep seeing my current doctors if I join PACE?
You should expect to receive regular care through the PACE medical team. You may need to change doctors unless your current doctor participates in or is approved by the PACE program. Ask about each doctor before enrolling; emergency care follows different rules.
Do I have to live in a specific ZIP code?
Yes. PACE programs serve specific ZIP codes, and the approved service area can vary by program. Your city or county alone does not confirm that your home is covered, so check your exact residential ZIP code.
Is PACE always free?
Not necessarily. People with Medi-Cal generally do not pay a monthly PACE premium. Someone with Medicare but not Medi-Cal may have monthly premiums. Ask the specific PACE program to explain your costs before you enroll.
Who decides whether I can join PACE?
The PACE organization completes an assessment and California determines whether you meet the required level of care. Franco can help you understand the first steps, but he cannot approve or guarantee PACE enrollment.