Southern West Virginia News

Congresswoman Carol Miller and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury have reintroduced the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act. This legislation allows occupational and physical therapists to conduct falls risk assessments for seniors during their Medicare Annual Wellness visits. The bill also mandates a report from Health and Human Services on the annual number of falls among seniors, as well as treatment statistics related to fall injuries.

“Seniors should have sufficient resources available to protect themselves as they age," stated Congresswoman Miller. She emphasized the importance of having comprehensive data to enhance accountability and transparency in protecting seniors from falls.

Congresswoman Stansbury added, “Our elders deserve the best care, period.” She highlighted that this bipartisan initiative empowers therapists to implement interventions aimed at reducing falls, which are a leading cause of injury among seniors.

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) expressed support through its President Kyle Covington, who noted that this legislation could improve patients' lives while providing cost savings for Medicare. Nikesh Patel of APTQI echoed these sentiments, underscoring the SAFE Act's role in preventative care and opioid use reduction.

Alyson Stover from the American Occupational Therapy Association pointed out that including therapy services in wellness visits could significantly decrease emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to falls. Kevin Yingling of Marshall Health Network stressed that proactive screenings could prevent injuries or fatalities among those over 65.

###