This bill establishes an advisory committee on falls prevention to assess federal efforts to prevent falls and recommend related policies to the Administration on Aging (AOA).
The advisory committee must oversee the creation and maintenance of a national plan to address falls prevention, including through the advancement of programs or interventions to prevent falls and reduce the number and severity of fall-related injuries. The committee must also assist the AOA in coordinating falls prevention research and services across federal agencies.
The committee must be comprised of members representing specified federal agencies, non-government organizations, and populations (e.g., caregivers and health care providers).
Within a specified period, the advisory committee must submit an initial report to the AOA and Congress, including
• an evaluation of all federally funded efforts related to falls prevention and recommendations for adjusting these efforts based on their purpose and performance;
• a recommendation for developing a Medicare pilot or demonstration program to provide coverage for basic home modifications to reduce falls; and
• recommendations for increasing provider use of a fall risk screening, assessment, and intervention tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The AOA must submit regular reports to Congress with assessments of U.S. progress in addressing falls prevention, outcomes of the committee’s recommendations, and recommended priority actions. These reports must evaluate the implementation of any Medicare program initiated pursuant to a committee recommendation.