Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly Act or the SAFE Act
This bill incorporates risk assessments and prevention services for falls into annual wellness visits and initial preventive physical exams under Medicare, as well as associated services provided by physical therapists and occupational therapists.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2612 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2612
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include physical
therapists and occupational therapists as health professionals for
purposes of the annual wellness visit under the Medicare program, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 31, 2025
Mr. Justice introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include physical
therapists and occupational therapists as health professionals for
purposes of the annual wellness visit under the Medicare program, 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 ``Stopping Addiction and Falls for the
Elderly Act'' or the ``SAFE Act''.
SEC. 2. PHYSICAL THERAPY AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BENEFIT IN THE
MEDICARE ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT AND INITIAL PREVENTIVE
PHYSICAL EXAM.
(a) Annual Wellness Visit.--
(1) In general.--Section 1861(hhh) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(hhh)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``;
and'' and inserting a semicolon;
(ii) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking
the period at the end and inserting ``; and'';
and
(iii) by adding at the end the following
new subparagraph:
``(C) that, in the case of an individual who has been
determined by a physician to have fallen in the previous
calendar year, includes a falls risk assessment and fall
prevention services.''; and
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or''
at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following
new subparagraph:
``(D) in the case of an individual described in paragraph
(1)(C), a physical therapist or an occupational therapist
furnishing a separate falls risk assessment and fall prevention
services.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall apply to annual wellness visits furnished on or after
January 1, 2026.
(b) Initial Preventive Physical Examination.--
(1) In general.--Section 1861(ww)(2) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(ww)(2)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (N), by moving the margins of
such subparagraph 2 ems to the left;
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (O) as
subparagraph (P); and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (N) the
following new subparagraph:
``(O) In the case of an individual that has been determined
by a physician to have experienced a fall in the previous
calendar year, outpatient occupational therapy services (as
defined in subsection (g)) and outpatient physical therapy
services (as defined in subsection (p)).''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall apply to initial preventive physical examinations
furnished on or after January 1, 2026.
SEC. 3. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
Beginning January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Secretary
of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress a report on the
number of falls (as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention) experienced by individuals aged 65 and older that received
treatment for pain or injury related to a fall or falls experienced in
the previous calendar year. With respect to each subsequent report,
such Secretary shall include the data reported in previous years and
describe any changes from year to year.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
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