National PACE Association to Congress: End the PACE Part D Penalty before this session concludes

National PACE Association to Congress: End the PACE Part D Penalty before this session concludes 
PR Newswire; by National PACE Association; 9/23/24 
The National PACE Association (NPA) is calling on Congress to end the costly financial penalty incurred by the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) participants eligible for Medicare who must enroll in the PACE Medicare Part D drug benefit. Every other original Medicare enrollee may comparison shop for an affordable Part D plan from among numerous options in their county. Medicare-enrolled PACE program participants face exponentially higher premiums for prescription drugs—22 times higher, on average—than other people enrolled in Medicare Part D who may select from numerous Part D plans available in their county. The PACE Part D penalty, which can total $11,000 annually, prevents people enrolled in Medicare with complex care needs from participating in the PACE program, which provides affordable, high-quality, highly coordinated services to people directly in their homes and communities.