Colorado Springs Senior AdvisorWhat is PACE, and who runs it in Colorado Springs?
PACE, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, combines medical care, a day center, home care, prescriptions and transportation under one team that is paid by Medicare and Health First Colorado; in El Paso County the program is Rocky Mountain PACE, operated by Rocky Mountain Health Care Services, toll-free 855-207-0702.
Rocky Mountain PACE runs day centers in Colorado Springs and opened its third, at Quail Lake, in April 2025 to serve southern El Paso County. Members get their primary care from the PACE team and go to the center on a schedule set by their care plan; the program arranges specialists, hospital care and, when needed, nursing home care.
Who qualifies for PACE in El Paso County?
People 55 or older who meet nursing facility level of care, live in the program's service area, and can live safely in the community when they enroll.
HCPF lists these El Paso County ZIP codes for Rocky Mountain PACE: 80106, 80132, 80133, 80817, 80829, 80831, 80903, 80904, 80905, 80906, 80907, 80908, 80909, 80910, 80911, 80914, 80915, 80916, 80917, 80918, 80919, 80920, 80921, 80922, 80923, 80924, 80925, 80927, 80939, 80951.
HCPF notes that some ZIP codes are only partly served. HCPF lists no PACE organization for Teller County, so Woodland Park, Divide and Cripple Creek residents rely on the EBD waiver for help at home.
What does PACE cost a Colorado Springs family?
For someone with both Medicare and Health First Colorado, PACE usually has no monthly premium; people with Medicare only pay a monthly premium for the Medicaid portion and a Part D premium, and there are no deductibles or copays for approved care.
The trade-off is choice: members use PACE's doctors and contracted providers, and leave their prior Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. For a frail parent with several specialists they want to keep, ask PACE which of those doctors it contracts with before enrolling.
Is PACE a good fit for someone living alone?
It can be, if the person can be safe between visits with the help PACE arranges; PACE is strongest for people with several chronic conditions and a family that wants one team coordinating everything.
For someone who needs supervision around the clock, PACE may pay for assisted living or nursing home care, but the room and board costs and the member's eligibility for each setting follow Health First Colorado rules. Compare PACE with the EBD waiver and with assisted living before deciding; our advisors can walk through the options at no cost.
Side by side
| PACE in Colorado Springs is | PACE is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Medicare and Medicaid services through one team | An add-on to an existing Medicare Advantage plan |
| Setting | Day center plus care at home | A residence; members live in the community |
| Area | El Paso County ZIP codes HCPF lists | Available in Teller County |
| Age | 55 and older at nursing facility level of care | Open to anyone on Medicare |
Drawn from 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 7, CDPHE and HCPF publications, CareScout, CMS, the VA and the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging; our editorial standards explain how we check them.
