The energy at the 2026 National PACE Association (NPA) Spring Policy Forum was palpable—but so was the clarity.

In his opening remarks, Shawn Bloom, CEO of NPA, grounded the conversation in a simple but sobering reality: while PACE now serves more than 100,000 participants across 200 organizations, it still reaches just 4% of those who are eligible.

That statistic set the tone for the conference. Not as a critique of the model—but as a call to action.

A model with momentum (and a long way to go)

There is no question that PACE is working. Outcomes are strong. Satisfaction is high. The model continues to prove its value across clinical, operational, and financial dimensions.

And yet, access remains limited.

As Robbie Felton reflected in a recent piece, this moment is asking what it will take to expand the model in a way that preserves what makes it special. That theme carried through nearly every conversation at the forum.

What’s in front of us isn’t incremental growth. It’s the challenge (and opportunity) of scaling access while maintaining the integrity of the model itself.

The barriers are clear

Tonya Shaffer, Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer, offered a clear-eyed view of what is blocking PACE growth, and what must change to enable meaningful scale.

She outlined a set of challenges that many organizations in the room know all too well:

• Enrollment processes that delay care when timing matters most
• Lengthy and redundant pathways to opening new centers
• Regulatory requirements that don’t fully reflect how PACE delivers care
• Limited transparency and predictability in rate setting
• Quality frameworks that fail to capture the full scope of interdisciplinary, whole-person care

These are not abstract issues. They show up every day for organizations nationwide—in delayed access, operational strain, and missed opportunities to intervene earlier.

A notable moment of alignment

That’s why the keynote from Mehmet Oz resonated.

His remarks signaled a meaningful level of alignment between CMS priorities and the needs of the PACE community. The focus on reducing enrollment friction, developing PACE-specific quality measures, and expanding eligibility upstream reflects a growing recognition of what makes this model distinct and effective.

For many in the room, it felt like an important step forward. Not a solution, but a signal that progress is possible.

Preparing for the Hill

With that context, the forum turned toward advocating for real policy change.

Francesca O’Reilly, VP of Advocacy at NPA, helped attendees prepare for conversations on Capitol Hill, outlining a clear and unified ask: support for the PACE Expansion Act, often referred to as the “Warner Bill”.

The legislation targets many of the barriers discussed earlier in the day, including:

• Expanding access to PACE nationwide
• Enabling anytime enrollment
• Streamlining the application process for new centers
• Removing restrictions that limit education and outreach before programs open
• Eliminating outdated statutory caps on program growth

The message was consistent: if we want to expand access to PACE, these are the changes that will make it possible.

Will on the Hill

The final conference day brought that advocacy to life.

PACE leaders from across the country met directly with legislators and their teams, sharing firsthand perspectives on what the model delivers, and what’s at stake if access remains constrained.

IntusCare was proud to be part of those conversations. Will Mims, Founding Director of Sales, joined the Virginia delegation and visited the office of Mark Warner, advocating for the very legislation designed to expand access to PACE.

Reflecting on the experience, Will shared:

A conversation on scaling PACE

Beyond the policy discussions, one theme came up repeatedly throughout the week—in sessions, in side conversations, and in how leaders are thinking about the road ahead:

Growth is accelerating. But so is the pressure to get it right.

We had a chance to capture a bit of that perspective in a conversation between IntusCare leaders Evan Jackson and Laura Ferrara during the forum:

In a moment where expansion feels more possible than ever, the conversation is starting to turn toward what it takes to scale responsibly—maintaining quality, reducing unnecessary burden, and being willing to rethink how the model operates as it grows.

👉 Watch the whole conversation with Evan and Laura

From 4% to what’s possible: Our commitment

We left the forum with a deeper appreciation for both the opportunity ahead and the work required to realize it.

Expanding PACE is about policy, but it’s also about ensuring organizations have the infrastructure to grow—operationally, clinically, and financially—without compromising what makes the model so effective.

At IntusCare, that’s where we remain focused. Thank you for allowing us to be your partner.