[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2833 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2833
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to improve falls prevention
research and activities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 17 (legislative day, September 16), 2025
Mr. King (for himself and Mr. Rounds) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to improve falls prevention
research and activities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stand Strong Falls Prevention Act''.
SEC. 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON FALLS PREVENTION OF THE ADMINISTRATION ON
AGING.
Title II of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3011 et
seq.) is amended by inserting after section 203A the following:
``SEC. 203B. FALLS PREVENTION ACTIVITIES.
``(a) Advisory Committee on Falls Prevention.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established an Advisory
Committee on Falls Prevention (referred to in this section as
the `Advisory Committee') to advise the Assistant Secretary on
developing and maintaining the national plan described in
paragraph (2)(A) and carrying out the assessments described in
paragraph (2)(C). The Advisory Committee shall be headed by a
Chair (referred to in this section as the `Chair').
``(2) Duties of the advisory committee.--The Advisory
Committee shall--
``(A) be responsible for, and oversee, the creation
and maintenance of an integrated national plan to
address falls prevention, including through
accelerating the development of falls prevention
programs, modalities, or interventions that aim to
prevent falls and reduce the prevalence and severity of
injuries resulting from falls;
``(B) advise and assist the Assistant Secretary in
providing information and coordination of falls
prevention research and services across all Federal
agencies;
``(C) carry out the assessment under subsection
(b)(2)(B), including--
``(i) an assessment of--
``(I) all Federal efforts and
programs related to falls prevention,
including budget requests and
approvals; and
``(II) the progress of the United
States in addressing falls prevention;
and
``(D) make recommendations, including
implementation steps for priority actions, based on
such assessment.
``(3) Membership.--The Advisory Committee shall be
comprised of the following:
``(A) Federal members.--Members of the Advisory
Committee shall include the following:
``(i) One representative from each of the
following agencies, appointed by the head of
each such agency:
``(I) The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
``(II) The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services.
``(III) The Indian Health Service.
``(IV) The National Institutes of
Health.
``(V) The Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Health.
``(VI) The National Science
Foundation.
``(VII) The Department of Veterans
Affairs.
``(VIII) The Food and Drug
Administration.
``(IX) The Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality.
``(X) The Department of Labor.
``(XI) The Department of Housing
and Urban Development.
``(XII) The Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
of the Department of Health and Human
Services.
``(XIII) The Office of Rural
Development of the Department of
Agriculture.
``(XIV) The Rehabilitation Services
Administration of the Department of
Education.
``(XV) The Weatherization
Assistance Program of the Department of
Energy.
``(ii) One designee to be assigned by the
Assistant Secretary from other officials
described in section 203(c)(2).
``(B) Non-federal members.--Members of the Advisory
Committee shall include 12 expert members from outside
the Federal Government to be appointed by the Assistant
Secretary, including the following:
``(i) Two consumer advocates with
demonstrated experience related to falls
prevention.
``(ii) Two health care providers with falls
prevention expertise.
``(iii) Two representatives of State health
departments that have implemented programs
specifically related to falls prevention.
``(iv) Two researchers in falls prevention-
related research.
``(v) Two caregivers that have experience
with--
``(I) patients who fell; or
``(II) falls prevention.
``(vi) Two voluntary health association
representatives that have demonstrated
experience in patient care and research,
including patient services, referral, support
groups, care consultation, education, and
safety services.
``(vii) Two aging service providers with
falls prevention expertise.
``(viii) Two housing assistance experts
that have demonstrated experience with--
``(I) research;
``(II) tenant or homeowner
assistance; or
``(III) working with housing
nonprofit associations.
``(ix) Two disability service providers
that have experience with assistive technology.
``(x) Two State falls prevention coalition
leaders.
``(C) Chair.--The Assistant Secretary shall appoint
one member of the Advisory Committee to serve as Chair.
``(D) Period of appointment; vacancies.--
``(i) In general.--A member of the Advisory
Committee appointed under subparagraph (A) or
(B) shall be appointed for a term of 5 years.
``(ii) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the
Advisory Committee--
``(I) shall not affect the powers
of the Advisory Committee; and
``(II) shall be filled in the same
manner as the original appointment.
``(4) Meetings.--The Advisory Committee shall meet every 4
months, beginning 2 months after all initial members of the
Advisory Committee have been appointed.
``(5) Initial report.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date on which all initial members of the Advisory
Committee have been appointed, the Advisory Committee
shall provide to the Assistant Secretary and Congress--
``(i) an initial evaluation of all
federally funded efforts in programs related to
falls prevention, including educational
programs, home- and community-based programs,
emergency medical services, and hospital or
health system programs, and their outcomes;
``(ii) initial recommendations for priority
actions to expand, eliminate, coordinate, or
condense each such program based on the
performance, mission, and purpose of each such
program;
``(iii) except as provided in subparagraph
(C), a recommendation for developing--
``(I) under title XVIII of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et
seq.), a pilot or demonstration program
to provide--
``(aa) coverage under such
title for not less than 20,000
Medicare beneficiaries of basic
home modifications to reduce
falls; and
``(bb) evidence-based falls
prevention programs; and
``(II) under section 1115A of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315a)--
``(aa) a broad payment
demonstration model to test
coverage of basic home
modifications to reduce falls;
and
``(bb) evidence-based falls
prevention programs;
``(iv) recommendations on how to increase
use by providers, for patients with public or
private health insurance plans, of the falls
risk screening, assessment, intervention, and
follow-up tool developed through the Stopping
Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries
(STEADI) initiative of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; and
``(v)(I) a report on the status and success
of public education and activation campaigns
related to falls prevention; and
``(II) recommendations for improvements for
future federally-funded public education and
activation campaigns related to falls
prevention.
``(B) Recommendations for medicare pilot or
demonstration programs.--The recommendation described
in subparagraph (A)(iii) may include--
``(i) a recommendation on how the
Administrator of the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services could design, develop, and
test a payment model under title XVIII of the
Social Security Act that combines coverage of
basic home modifications with services that are
furnished by a qualifying provider determined
by such Administrator and are furnished under a
health care provider's supervision; and
``(ii) a recommendation on coverage under
title XVIII of falls prevention services that
are evidence-based (within the meaning of such
term under section 361(a)) to improve patient
care, mitigate mobility and functional
deterioration in functional activities, and
lower program expenditures under such title.
``(C) Exception.--The recommendation required under
subparagraph (A)(iii) shall not be required if an Act
of Congress, enacted as of the date of enactment of
this section, requires the Administrator of the Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services to develop a program
or payment model described in such subparagraph.
``(6) Powers of advisory committee.--
``(A) Hearings.--The Advisory Committee may hold
such hearings, sit and act at such times and places,
take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the
Advisory Committee considers advisable to carry out
this subsection.
``(B) Information from federal agencies.--
``(i) In general.--The Advisory Committee
may secure directly from a Federal department
or agency such information as the Advisory
Committee considers necessary to carry out this
subsection.
``(ii) Furnishing information.--On request
of the Chair of the Advisory Committee, the
head of the department or agency shall furnish
the information to the Advisory Committee.
``(C) Postal services.--The Advisory Committee may
use the United States mails in the same manner and
under the same conditions as other departments and
agencies of the Federal Government.
``(D) Gifts.--The Advisory Committee may accept,
use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or
property.
``(7) Advisory committee personnel matters.--
``(A) Compensation of members.--A member of the
Advisory Committee who is not an officer or employee of
the Federal Government shall be compensated at a rate
equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of
basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive
Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States
Code, for each day (including travel time) during which
the member is engaged in the performance of the duties
of the Advisory Committee.
``(B) Travel expenses.--A member of the Advisory
Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including
per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized
for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter
57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from
their homes or regular places of business in the
performance of services for the Advisory Committee.
``(8) Staff.--
``(A) In general.--The Chair of the Advisory
Committee may, without regard to the civil service laws
(including regulations), appoint and terminate an
executive director and such other additional personnel
as may be necessary to enable the Advisory Committee to
perform its duties, except that the employment of an
executive director shall be subject to confirmation by
the Advisory Committee.
``(B) Compensation.--The Chair of the Advisory
Committee may fix the compensation of the executive
director and other personnel without regard to chapter
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United
States Code, relating to classification of positions
and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of
pay for the executive director and other personnel may
not exceed the rate payable for level V of the
Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that title.
``(9) Detail of government employees.--A Federal Government
employee may be detailed to the Advisory Committee without
reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or
loss of civil service status or privilege.
``(10) Procurement of temporary and intermittent
services.--The Chair of the Advisory Committee may procure
temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of
title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals that do
not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay
prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section
5316 of that title.
``(11) Coordination of public education campaigns.--The
Director shall share recommendations developed by the Advisory
Committee with entities that receive Federal funding for public
education campaigns relating to falls prevention, including
under section 393D(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 280b-1f(a)).
``(12) Termination.--The Advisory Committee shall terminate
on the date that is 10 years after the date on which all
initial members are appointed.
``(b) Reports Relating to Falls Prevention.--
``(1) Data sharing.--Agencies within the Department of
Health and Human Services, and other Federal agencies, that
have data relating to falls prevention shall share such data
with the Assistant Secretary, to enable the Assistant Secretary
to complete the reports under paragraph (2).
``(2) Regular reports.--The Assistant Secretary shall
submit to Congress a report, not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of the Stand Strong Falls Prevention Act and
every 4 years thereafter, that includes--
``(A) an evaluation of all federally funded
programs and efforts in falls prevention (including
education programs, home and community-based programs,
and hospital programs and any such programs or efforts
included in budget requests and approvals), including
an evaluation with respect to the outcomes (including
program performance), mission, and purpose of such
programs related to falls prevention;
``(B) an assessment of the progress of the United
States in addressing falls prevention, as reported by
the Advisory Committee under subsection (a)(2)(B);
``(C) an evaluation of the implementation of any
pilot or demonstration program or model recommended
under subsection (a)(5)(B) or any other pilot or
demonstration program described in such subsection that
has otherwise been initiated by the Administrator of
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services;
``(D) a description of the outcomes of the
recommendations of the Advisory Committee under
subsection (a)(5), including priorities, if necessary,
through an updated national plan under subsection
(a)(2)(A);
``(E) recommendations, based on the evaluations,
assessment, and outcomes described in subparagraphs (A)
through (D), for--
``(i) priority actions to--
``(I) reduce the financial impact
of falls on expenditures under the
Medicare program under title XVIII of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395
et seq.), the Medicaid program under
title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396
et seq.), and other federally funded
programs through falls prevention
initiatives; and
``(II) improve health outcomes
through such initiatives;
``(ii) priority actions to improve
screening, referral, and interventions to
address falls prevention;
``(iii) expanding pilot or demonstration
programs or models described in subsection
(a)(5)(B) towards implementation on a
nationwide basis in accordance with section
1115A(c) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1315a(c)) by 2030; and
``(iv) steps to implement each
recommendation described in this paragraph; and
``(F)(i) a report on the status and success of
public education campaigns related to falls prevention;
and
``(ii) recommendations for improvements for future
federally-funded public education campaigns related to
falls prevention.
``(c) Funding.--
``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--To carry out this
section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as
may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
``(2) Existing amounts.--In addition to any amounts
appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary
may carry out this section using amounts otherwise made
available to the Assistant Secretary.
``(d) Definition.--In this section, the term `falls prevention'
means prevention of injury from falls that focuses on reducing fall
risk factors, preventing repeat falls, and preventing falls with
injuries.''.
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