Lutheran Services Carolinas and Kintegra Health join PACE of the Southern Piedmont

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - July 2, 2020 - PRLog -- PACE of the Southern Piedmont has two new sponsoring members: Kintegra Health and Lutheran Services Carolinas, well-established non-profits with strong ties to the area. The change, effective July 1, 2020, was announced by Renee Rizzuti, CEO of PACE of the Southern Piedmont. Participants who receive healthcare services from PACE of the Southern Piedmont will not notice any change in leadership, staffing or operations, since the corporate members primarily affect governance, growth, and strategic planning.

The change in non-profit ownership was driven by the need for local members who have a strong community presence and the ability to grow PACE services in the community. Projections warrant growth from one high-performing PACE Center into two or three PACE centers in the future to serve this largest PACE market in the State of North Carolina.

PACE of the Southern Piedmont, established in 2013, is a non-profit organization that coordinates care for elderly participants covered by Medicare or Medicaid, so they can continue living in a home environment. The organization currently employs approximately 60 full-time clinical and administrative personnel in a service area that includes Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Stanly and Union Counties. It serves approximately 400 participants in those counties.

PACE is an acronym for "Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly." The program primarily uses Medicare and Medicaid funding to support interdisciplinary care teams who work to ensure that people otherwise eligible for nursing home care can continue living at home.

In North Carolina, there are currently 12 PACE programs serving 40 of the state's 100 counties. In addition, 31 of the 50 states have PACE programs, with 263 PACE centers providing member services on a national basis.

Kintegra Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), providing healthcare, health education and preventive care services without regard for the ability to pay. Medical, behavioral health and dental services are offered in Alexander, Catawba, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Iredell and Lincoln counties. Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and self-pay patients are accepted. Kintegra Health is a sponsoring partner of Senior TLC, a PACE program located in Gastonia, NC.

"PACE of the Southern Piedmont will add a new dimension to Kintegra Health's commitment to providing quality health care to individuals in a cost-effective manner," said Kintegra Health CEO Robert Spencer.

Lutheran Services Carolinas, based in Salisbury, North Carolina, is a health and human services organization that operates eight senior care communities around the state and also offers child and family services in both North and South Carolina. LSC currently partners with three other North Carolina PACE programs: PACE@Home in Hickory, Senior TLC in Gastonia, and PACE of the Triad in Greensboro.

"Teaming up with PACE of the Southern Piedmont is a natural fit for Lutheran Services Carolinas because of our long history of serving North Carolina seniors," said Ted Goins, president of Lutheran Services Carolinas. "We are really looking forward to serving and growing."

Renee Rizzuti, CEO of PACE of the Southern Piedmont, praised the outgoing board members for their vision in addressing – on a local basis – many of the current issues that top the national healthcare agenda.

"Everyone is looking for better ways to address the healthcare needs of aging baby boomers," she said. "It is said that more than 10,000 people a day are now achieving eligibility for Medicare coverage. PACE programs are doing an excellent job of providing needed services tothis segment of the population, and sustaining the quality of those services, while better controlling costs for all involved."

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