Miller, Stansbury Introduce the SAFE Act
Washington D.C. – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) introduced H.R.7618, the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act. The SAFE Act will permit occupational and physical therapists to administer falls risks assessments for seniors as part of their Medicare Annual Wellness benefit. The bill will also require Health and Human Services to submit a report to Congress on the number of falls experienced by seniors and the number of seniors that received treatment for pain or injury related to a fall each year.
“Seniors should have ample resources available to protect themselves as they age. The SAFE Act would allow physical and occupational therapists to complete falls risks assessments for seniors as part of their Medicare Annual Wellness benefit. In doing so, there will be more accountability and transparency on how we can protect those who are at risk of falling. It’s no secret the U.S. population is aging, and it’s important to have enough information as seniors receive treatment for injuries related to a fall so the health care system can best care for them,” said Congresswoman Miller.
“Our elders are a vulnerable population that face challenges everyday,” said Congresswoman Stansbury. “It is crucial to equip them and their loved ones with the support they need to maintain a good quality of life. That's why I'm co-leading the bipartisan SAFE Act, which would allow occupational therapists to complete falls risks assessments for seniors and provide critical interventions to minimize the risk of falls, which are the leading cause of injury and death for our elders. We must continue to care for them with dignity and respect."
“The American Physical Therapy Association applauds Rep. Miller’s and Rep. Stansbury’s leadership on this important legislation that addresses falls and falls prevention for Medicare beneficiaries,” said APTA President Roger Herr, PT, MPA. “APTA’s recent report titled the ‘Economic Value of Physical Therapy in the U.S.,” shows the cost-effectiveness of physical therapist services for falls prevention and emphasizes the need for improved access to them. By helping to reduce the risk of falls this legislation will improve patients’ lives and provide cost-savings.”
"Falls are the most common cause of injury and fracture for seniors and the medical costs for falls total more than $50 billion. I want to thank Representatives Miller and Stansbury for their leadership in introducing the SAFE Act," said APTQI Executive Director Nikesh Patel. "This legislation would allow seniors to receive an annual fall risk assessment from a physical or occupational therapist at no cost so we can prevent some falls before they happen. This keeps seniors independent in their homes for longer and decreases the likelihood of hospital visits and opioid usage."
“We want to thank Reps. Miller and Stansbury for introducing this crucial legislation. Occupational therapy practitioners assess the physical, behavioral and environmental factors that contribute to falls, and provide interventions that have been shown to reduce fall and injury risk. By adding falls prevention services provided by an occupational therapy practitioner to both the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit and initial preventative medical exam, this bill will reduce the number of emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths that occur every year because of falls, said Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BC, President of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
“The National Rural Health Association appreciates Representative Miller and Representative Stansbury’s work to protect rural seniors through the SAFE Act. This legislation will expand access to critical providers like physical and occupational therapists for some of the most at-risk seniors and help prevent falls, which are one of the leading causes of death and injury for the older adult population.”
Click here for bill text.