119-s2833

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2833 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

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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