PACE Programs in Los Angeles County and California

1. PACE means Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
   1. It combines medical care, prescription drugs, rehabilitation, transportation, social services, help at home and long-term care through one coordinated program. Its purpose is to help older adults who qualify for nursing-home-level care continue living safely in their homes and communities.
2. A person must generally be at least age 55, live in an approved PACE service area, meet California’s nursing-home-level-of-care standard and be able to live safely in the community when enrolling.
3. I am authorized to represent certain PACE programs in California.
   1. I can help you identify the programs available in your ZIP code, explain how PACE works and determine whether I am authorized to assist with a particular program.
   2. If I do not represent one of the available programs, you may contact that PACE organization directly.

• • Email me with your ZIP code and questions about PACE
  • California DHCS — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
  • Medicare.gov — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

What Does a PACE Program Provide?

The participant’s interdisciplinary care team decides which Medicare, Medi-Cal and supportive services are medically necessary. Covered and coordinated services can include:

• Primary and specialty medical care.
• Prescription drugs and medication management.
• Nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and other rehabilitation.
• Dental, vision, hearing and behavioral health services.
• Personal care and other assistance in the participant’s home.
• Transportation to the PACE center and approved medical appointments.
• Meals, nutrition counseling, recreation and social activities at the center.
• Hospital, emergency, home health and nursing-home care when needed.

PACE is not merely an adult day-care program. It becomes the participant’s coordinated healthcare and long-term-care system. Except for emergency or urgently needed care, participants generally must use the doctors, facilities, pharmacies and other providers authorized by their PACE organization.

What Does PACE Cost?

• Medicare and Medi-Cal: A participant who has both programs and meets the applicable Medi-Cal requirements generally pays no PACE premium, deductible or copayment for care approved by the PACE team.
• Medi-Cal only: Covered PACE services may generally be provided without a PACE premium when the participant qualifies under the applicable Medi-Cal rules.
• Medicare without Medi-Cal: The participant may pay a monthly premium for the long-term-care portion of PACE and a premium for Medicare prescription drug coverage.
• No Medicare or Medi-Cal: A person who otherwise qualifies may be able to pay privately for PACE.

Important: Enrollment in PACE replaces the participant’s existing Medicare Advantage or Medicare prescription drug plan. Someone considering PACE should obtain a written explanation of premiums, share of cost, covered services and the effective date before changing existing coverage.

• See my web page — Medi-Cal Share of Cost
• Medicare.gov — PACE costs and coverage

First Check the Participant’s ZIP Code

PACE service areas are based on county and residential ZIP code. Living in Los Angeles County does not mean that every Los Angeles PACE program is available. Several programs overlap in some communities, while other communities have only one choice.

• Open the California DHCS PACE Plans — Service Area Counties and ZIP Codes.
• Search the document for the participant’s five-digit residential ZIP code.
• Write down every PACE organization listed for that ZIP code.
• Contact each available organization and arrange a center tour before choosing.

The DHCS list should be checked immediately before applying because organizations, ZIP-code service areas and center locations can change.

PACE Programs Serving Los Angeles County

The July 2026 California DHCS service-area list identifies the following PACE program names in at least part of Los Angeles County:

• AltaMed Senior BuenaCare — Extensive service area covering many communities in Central, East, South and Southeast Los Angeles County, the San Gabriel Valley, the San Fernando Valley, the South Bay and Harbor Area. AltaMed lists a PACE center at 2616 E. Alondra Boulevard in Compton.
• Asian Heritage Healthcare PACE — Serves many ZIP codes in Central and West Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, portions of the Westside, Glendale, Burbank and nearby communities.
• Brandman Centers for Senior Care PACE — Focuses primarily on West Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, with centers in West Los Angeles and Reseda.
• Chinatown Service Center PACE — Primarily serves Chinatown, Northeast Los Angeles, Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.
• Complete Care PACE — Primarily serves portions of Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank and the San Fernando Valley.
• ConcertoHealth PACE of Los Angeles — InnovAge California PACE–Crenshaw — Serves Crenshaw and numerous Central, South, Westside and South Bay ZIP codes.
• Habitat Health South Los Angeles — Serves South and Southeast Los Angeles County, including numerous South Bay, Harbor Area and Long Beach ZIP codes.
• High Desert PACE — Its Los Angeles County service area is limited to ZIP code 93544. It also serves portions of San Bernardino County.
• K-Day PACE — Based near Downtown Los Angeles at 303 S. Union Avenue and serving numerous Central Los Angeles ZIP codes.
• LA Coast — Coastline PACE — Serves portions of the Westside, Beach Cities, South Bay, Harbor Area and Long Beach. Its Long Beach center is listed at 1220 E. Fourth Street.
• MyPlace LA PACE — Serves many Central, East and Northeast Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley ZIP codes.
• MyPlace South LA PACE — Serves South Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles County, portions of the South Bay, Harbor Area and Long Beach.
• Pacific PACE — WelbeHealth — Has an especially broad Los Angeles County service area, including Central Los Angeles, the Westside, South Bay, Long Beach, San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel Valley. A ZIP-code check is still required.
• Seen Health San Gabriel Valley — Serves Downtown and Northeast Los Angeles, Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.
• Vista Community Clinic PACE — Serves parts of Northeast Los Angeles, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank and the San Fernando Valley.

This is not a ranking or endorsement. A large service area does not necessarily mean that a particular center is close to the participant’s home. Ask where the participant will ordinarily receive day-center and medical services and how long transportation commonly takes.

PACE in San Pedro, the Harbor Area and South Bay

According to the July 2026 DHCS ZIP-code list:

• San Pedro 90731 and 90732: AltaMed Senior BuenaCare and LA Coast/Coastline PACE are listed.
• Wilmington 90744: AltaMed, Habitat Health South Los Angeles, LA Coast/Coastline, MyPlace South LA and Pacific PACE are among the listed programs.
• Carson 90745 and 90746: Several programs are listed, but the choices differ by ZIP code.
• Torrance ZIP codes: Availability differs substantially by ZIP code. Do not assume every Torrance address has the same choices.
• Long Beach ZIP codes: Several organizations serve portions of Long Beach, but each program’s exact approved ZIP codes differ.

For a San Pedro or South Bay resident, transportation time may be as important as the program name. Ask whether rides are direct or shared, the usual pickup window, how long participants commonly remain on the vehicle and which center the person will attend.

Tour the Center Before Enrolling

PACE programs cover broadly similar categories of care, but the day-to-day experience can differ. Visit every program available in the participant’s ZIP code and consider:

• Noise and stimulation: Is the music or television comfortable? Is there a quiet room for participants who are sensitive to noise, flashing decorations or crowded activities?
• Food and snacks: Ask to see a current menu. Are water, fruit, vegetables, protein and lower-sugar choices routinely available for people with diabetes or other dietary needs?
• Medical access: How quickly can the participant see the PACE primary-care provider, nurse, dentist, therapist or specialist?
• Home care: What help can actually be provided in the home, how often and by whom?
• Transportation: What are the pickup window, average ride time, wheelchair arrangements and rules for caregiver transportation?
• Activities: Are activities appropriate for the participant’s language, culture, interests, cognitive ability and physical limitations?
• Environment: Look at cleanliness, restrooms, temperature, seating, outdoor space, crowding and staff interaction with participants.
• Safety and access: Visit at approximately the time the participant would arrive. Consider parking, lighting, the walk from the vehicle and conditions immediately surrounding the center.
• Caregiver communication: Who answers questions after hours, and how quickly are families told about medical or medication changes?
• Disenrollment: Ask how coverage is restored if the participant later decides to leave PACE.

Why I Recommend an In-Person Visit

I attended an open house at one Los Angeles-area senior care/day-health facility that appeared to use a PACE-style model. I did not remain long enough to verify the organization, so I am intentionally not identifying it.

During that particular visit, I found the music much too loud and the glittering or flashing decorations overly stimulating. The refreshments I saw were dominated by cupcakes, cookies and other high-sugar foods, without the healthier choices I would expect at a program caring for older adults with diabetes and other chronic conditions.

This was one visit and should not be treated as a judgment about every PACE organization—or necessarily about that facility on an ordinary day. It did convince me that brochures and benefit lists are not enough. The participant and caregiver should tour the actual center, observe an ordinary day and ask detailed questions about noise, nutrition, transportation and daily routines before enrolling.

Where Is PACE Available in California?

As of the July 2026 DHCS list, one or more PACE organizations serve approved ZIP codes in 28 California counties:

• Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Imperial and Kern.
• Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Merced, Napa and Orange.
• Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco and San Joaquin.
• Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tulare and Yuba.

PACE is not necessarily available throughout every listed county. Use the state ZIP-code document or a PACE locator rather than relying only on the county name.

• California DHCS — California PACE Plans
• CalPACE — Find a California PACE organization
• National PACE Association — Find a PACE Program

How to Explore PACE Enrollment

I am authorized to represent certain PACE programs. You may email me with the prospective participant’s residential ZIP code so I can help identify the available programs and determine whether I am authorized to assist with enrollment in one of them.

• Email Steve Shorr about PACE programs

1. Identify every PACE program serving the applicant’s residential ZIP code.
2. Determine whether I represent one or more of the available programs. If I do not represent a particular program, you may contact that organization directly.
3. Request a complete explanation of eligibility, costs, service locations and the enrollment process.
4. Arrange a home visit and tour the actual center with the prospective participant and caregiver.
5. Ask which current doctors, specialists, hospitals, pharmacies, medications and home-care arrangements would change after enrollment.
6. Complete the program’s medical and social assessment. California must certify that the applicant meets the required nursing-home level of care.
7. Do not independently cancel an existing Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medi-Cal or other health plan.
   1. Coordinate the effective date through the PACE enrollment process.

There is no obligation to enroll simply because you request information or tour a PACE center. Enrollment is voluntary. A participant may also leave PACE, but the transition must be coordinated carefully so that medical and prescription coverage continues without a gap.

Resources

• California DHCS — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
• California DHCS — PACE Service Area Counties and ZIP Codes, July 2026
• California DHCS — PACE Frequently Asked Questions
• Medicare.gov — Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
• CalPACE — California PACE locator
• National PACE Association — Find a PACE Program
• AltaMed — PACE locations
• Brandman Centers for Senior Care PACE
• InnovAge — California PACE centers
• Habitat Health PACE
• K-Day PACE
• WelbeHealth PACE