Allentown Senior AdvisorWhat is the LIFE program in Pennsylvania?
LIFE (Living Independence for the Elderly) is Pennsylvania's version of the national PACE model: an all-inclusive managed care program that provides medical care, prescriptions, therapy, personal care, transportation and day-center services through one team, for older adults who would otherwise qualify for a nursing home.
The LIFE provider becomes the participant's sole source of covered care, replacing Medicare and Medicaid doctors with its own team. Do not confuse it with PACE/PACENET, the Lottery-funded prescription programs that share the PACE name.
Who runs the LIFE program in the Lehigh Valley?
DHS's October 2026 provider list shows SeniorLIFE Lehigh Valley, at 3365 High Point Boulevard in Bethlehem ((610) 954-5433), serving Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties, and SeniorLIFE Reading listing the same three counties.
Most Lehigh and Northampton county participants attend the Bethlehem center, with transportation provided. DHS's list shows no LIFE provider whose service area includes Carbon County.
Who qualifies for LIFE?
A person qualifies who is 55 or older, meets the nursing facility level of care, lives in a LIFE provider's service area and can be served safely in the community; financial eligibility is set by the county assistance office, or the person can pay privately.
Most participants are dually eligible for Medicare and Medical Assistance and pay no premium. Enrollment runs through the Independent Enrollment Broker at 1-877-550-4227 or directly with the provider.
Can a LIFE participant live in a personal care home?
Yes: a LIFE participant can live at home, with family or in a personal care home, but LIFE does not pay the personal care home's room and board, and the participant must use LIFE's team for covered medical care.
If a participant later needs a nursing home, the LIFE provider arranges and pays for it, which is one of the program's real strengths compared with fee-for-service care.
What are the trade-offs of LIFE?
The trade-off is choice: participants give up their own doctors for LIFE's team and attend the day center on a schedule, in exchange for coordinated care, transportation and fewer gaps between providers.
Families who value continuity with a long-time doctor sometimes prefer Community HealthChoices home services instead. See LIFE vs CHC home care.
At a glance
| LIFE in the Lehigh Valley is | LIFE in the Lehigh Valley is not | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | SeniorLIFE Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem | Available to Carbon County residents |
| Coverage | All Medicare and Medicaid services through one team | Payment for personal care home room and board |
| Eligibility | 55+, nursing facility level of care | A prescription discount program |
Sources include 55 Pa. Code Chapters 20, 2600 and 2800, Pennsylvania DHS, Department of Health and Department of Aging pages, CMS, VA and CareScout rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
