Programs Focus On Dental Care As Part Of Effort To Keep Seniors Out Of Nursing Homes

The New York Times reported that private companies are taking advantage of “a little-known Medicare program,” known as PACE, or the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, “that will pay to keep older and disabled Americans out of nursing homes.” Through the program, Medicare and Medicaid pay PACE providers on average “$76,728 a person a year, about $5,500 less than the average cost of a nursing home.” The flat payment structure encourages “organizations to invest in maintaining a patient’s health and safety to avoid big hospital bills,” and given this, “dentistry — excluded from traditional Medicare coverage — is a crucial focus.” According to the article, “Programs invest heavily to fix broken teeth and dentures to avoid costly infections or poor nutrition that can cause cascading health problems.”