Ask Your Member of Congress to Help Prevent Harmful Senior Falls
The Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act (H.R. 7618), recently introduced by Congresswomen Carol Miller (R-WV) and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), aims to enhance Medicare by offering coverage for falls prevention done by physical or occupational therapists (PTs and OTs) at annual wellness visits and initial preventive physical exams.
Falls are a significant public healthcare concern, with rates of senior falls rising to an estimated 52 million annually by 2030, creating substantial healthcare costs and follow-up care for personal injuries. The SAFE Act addresses the urgent need for falls prevention measures for Medicare beneficiaries and paves the way for effective, preventive senior care. It will also lead to fewer opioid prescriptions and subsequential overdose rates among older Americans. Data show that seniors engaging in physical therapy are less likely to require emergency room visits or hospitalizations and are less likely to resort to opioid-based medications for pain management.
If passed, the SAFE Act would increase access to falls risk assessments and falls prevention services, connect seniors to falls experts to help them stay on their feet, and lower healthcare spending and save taxpayer money.
We need your help today to improve the quality of life for our aging population and reduce the burden of falls on our healthcare system.
Join the movement to safeguard our seniors! Visit the link below to urge your lawmaker to support the SAFE Act.