II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5023 

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 11, 2024 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stand Strong Falls 

5 Prevention Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON FALLS PREVENTION OF 

2 THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING. 

3 Title II of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 

4 U.S.C. 3011 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 

5 203A the following: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 203B. FALLS PREVENTION ACTIVITIES. 

7 ‘‘(a) ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON FALLS PREVEN8 TION.— 

9 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established an 

10 Advisory Committee on Falls Prevention (referred to 

11 in this section as the ‘Advisory Committee’) to ad12 vise the Assistant Secretary on developing and main13 taining the national plan described in paragraph 

14 (2)(A) and carrying out the assessments described in 

15 paragraph (2)(C). The Advisory Committee shall be 

16 headed by a Chair (referred to in this section as the 

17 ‘Chair’). 

18 ‘‘(2) DUTIES OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 

19 The Advisory Committee shall— 

20 ‘‘(A) be responsible for, and oversee, the 

21 creation and maintenance of an integrated na22 tional plan to address falls prevention, including 

23 through accelerating the development of falls 

24 prevention programs, modalities, or interven25 tions that aim to prevent falls and reduce the 


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1 prevalence and severity of injuries resulting 

2 from falls; 

3 ‘‘(B) advise and assist the Assistant Sec4 retary in providing information and coordina5 tion of falls prevention research and services 

6 across all Federal agencies; 

7 ‘‘(C) carry out the assessment under sub8 section (b)(2)(B), including— 

9 ‘‘(i) an assessment of— 

10 ‘‘(I) all Federal efforts and pro11 grams related to falls prevention, in12 cluding budget requests and approv13 als; and 

14 ‘‘(II) the progress of the United 

15 States in addressing falls prevention; 

16 and 

17 ‘‘(D) make recommendations, including im18 plementation steps for priority actions, based 

19 on such assessment. 

20 ‘‘(3) MEMBERSHIP.—The Advisory Committee 

21 shall be comprised of the following: 

22 ‘‘(A) FEDERAL MEMBERS.—Members of 

23 the Advisory Committee shall include the fol24 lowing: 


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1 ‘‘(i) One representative from each of 

2 the following agencies, appointed by the 

3 head of each such agency: 

4 ‘‘(I) The Centers for Disease 

5 Control and Prevention. 

6 ‘‘(II) The Centers for Medicare & 

7 Medicaid Services. 

8 ‘‘(III) The Indian Health Service. 

9 ‘‘(IV) The National Institutes of 

10 Health. 

11 ‘‘(V) The Office of the Assistant 

12 Secretary for Health. 

13 ‘‘(VI) The National Science 

14 Foundation. 

15 ‘‘(VII) The Department of Vet16 erans Affairs. 

17 ‘‘(VIII) The Food and Drug Ad18 ministration. 

19 ‘‘(IX) The Agency for Healthcare 

20 Research and Quality. 

21 ‘‘(X) The Department of Labor. 

22 ‘‘(XI) The Department of Hous23 ing and Urban Development. 

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1 uation of the Department of Health 

2 and Human Services. 

3 ‘‘(XIII) The Office of Rural De4 velopment of the Department of Agri5 culture. 

6 ‘‘(XIV) The Rehabilitation Serv7 ices Administration of the Depart8 ment of Education. 

9 ‘‘(XV) The Weatherization As10 sistance Program of the Department 

11 of Energy. 

12 ‘‘(ii) One designee to be assigned by 

13 the Assistant Secretary from other officials 

14 described in section 203(c)(2). 

15 ‘‘(B) NON-FEDERAL MEMBERS.—Members 

16 of the Advisory Committee shall include 12 ex17 pert members from outside the Federal Govern18 ment to be appointed by the Assistant Sec19 retary, including the following: 

20 ‘‘(i) Two consumer advocates with 

21 demonstrated experience related to falls 

22 prevention. 

23 ‘‘(ii) Two health care providers with 

24 falls prevention expertise. 


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1 ‘‘(iii) Two representatives of State 

2 health departments that have implemented 

3 programs specifically related to falls pre4 vention. 

5 ‘‘(iv) Two researchers in falls preven6 tion-related research. 

7 ‘‘(v) Two caregivers that have experi8 ence with— 

9 ‘‘(I) patients who fell; or 

10 ‘‘(II) falls prevention. 

11 ‘‘(vi) Two voluntary health association 

12 representatives that have demonstrated ex13 perience in patient care and research, in14 cluding patient services, referral, support 

15 groups, care consultation, education, and 

16 safety services. 

17 ‘‘(vii) Two aging service providers 

18 with falls prevention expertise. 

19 ‘‘(viii) Two housing assistance experts 

20 that have demonstrated experience with— 

21 ‘‘(I) research; 

22 ‘‘(II) tenant or homeowner assist23 ance; or 

24 ‘‘(III) working with housing non25 profit associations. 


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1 ‘‘(ix) Two disability service providers 

2 that have experience with assistive tech3 nology. 

4 ‘‘(x) Two State falls prevention coali5 tion leaders. 

6 ‘‘(C) CHAIR.—The Assistant Secretary 

7 shall appoint one member of the Advisory Com8 mittee to serve as Chair. 

9 ‘‘(D) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACAN10 CIES.— 

11 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A member of the 

12 Advisory Committee appointed under sub13 paragraph (A) or (B) shall be appointed 

14 for a term of 5 years. 

15 ‘‘(ii) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the 

16 Advisory Committee— 

17 ‘‘(I) shall not affect the powers of 

18 the Advisory Committee; and 

19 ‘‘(II) shall be filled in the same 

20 manner as the original appointment. 

21 ‘‘(4) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee 

22 shall meet every 4 months, beginning 2 months after 

23 all initial members of the Advisory Committee have 

24 been appointed. 

25 ‘‘(5) INITIAL REPORT.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 

2 after the date on which all initial members of 

3 the Advisory Committee have been appointed, 

4 the Advisory Committee shall provide to the As5 sistant Secretary and Congress— 

6 ‘‘(i) an initial evaluation of all feder7 ally funded efforts in programs related to 

8 falls prevention, including educational pro9 grams, home- and community-based pro10 grams, emergency medical services, and 

11 hospital or health system programs, and 

12 their outcomes; 

13 ‘‘(ii) initial recommendations for pri14 ority actions to expand, eliminate, coordi15 nate, or condense each such program based 

16 on the performance, mission, and purpose 

17 of each such program; 

18 ‘‘(iii) except as provided in subpara19 graph (C), a recommendation for devel20 oping— 

21 ‘‘(I) under title XVIII of the So22 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et 

23 seq.), a pilot or demonstration pro24 gram to provide— 


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1 ‘‘(aa) coverage under such 

2 title for not less than 20,000 

3 Medicare beneficiaries of basic 

4 home modifications to reduce 

5 falls; and 

6 ‘‘(bb) evidence-based falls 

7 prevention programs; and 

8 ‘‘(II) under section 1115A of the 

9 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

10 1315a)— 

11 ‘‘(aa) a broad payment dem12 onstration model to test coverage 

13 of basic home modifications to 

14 reduce falls; and 

15 ‘‘(bb) evidence-based falls 

16 prevention programs; 

17 ‘‘(iv) recommendations on how to in18 crease use by providers, for patients with 

19 public or private health insurance plans, of 

20 the falls risk screening, assessment, inter21 vention, and follow-up tool developed 

22 through the Stopping Elderly Accidents, 

23 Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) initiative 

24 of the Centers for Disease Control and 

25 Prevention; and 


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1 ‘‘(v)(I) a report on the status and suc2 cess of public education and activation 

3 campaigns related to falls prevention; and 

4 ‘‘(II) recommendations for improve5 ments for future federally funded public 

6 education and activation campaigns related 

7 to falls prevention. 

8 ‘‘(B) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEDICARE

9 PILOT OR DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS.—The 

10 recommendation described in subparagraph 

11 (A)(iii) may include— 

12 ‘‘(i) a recommendation on how the 

13 Administrator of the Centers for Medicare 

14 & Medicaid Services could design, develop, 

15 and test a payment model under title 

16 XVIII of the Social Security Act that com17 bines coverage of basic home modifications 

18 with services that are furnished by a quali19 fying provider determined by such Admin20 istrator and are furnished under a health 

21 care provider’s supervision; and 

22 ‘‘(ii) a recommendation on coverage 

23 under title XVIII of falls prevention serv24 ices that are evidence-based (within the 

25 meaning of such term under section 


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1 361(a)) to improve patient care, mitigate 

2 mobility and functional deterioration in 

3 functional activities, and lower program ex4 penditures under such title. 

5 ‘‘(C) EXCEPTION.—The recommendation 

6 required under subparagraph (A)(iii) shall not 

7 be required if an Act of Congress, enacted as 

8 of the date of enactment of this section, re9 quires the Administrator of the Centers for 

10 Medicare & Medicaid Services to develop a pro11 gram or payment model described in such sub12 paragraph. 

13 ‘‘(6) POWERS OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 

14 ‘‘(A) HEARINGS.—The Advisory Com15 mittee may hold such hearings, sit and act at 

16 such times and places, take such testimony, and 

17 receive such evidence as the Advisory Com18 mittee considers advisable to carry out this sub19 section. 

20 ‘‘(B) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGEN21 CIES.— 

22 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory 

23 Committee may secure directly from a 

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1 siders necessary to carry out this sub2 section. 

3 ‘‘(ii) FURNISHING INFORMATION.—On 

4 request of the Chair of the Advisory Com5 mittee, the head of the department or 

6 agency shall furnish the information to the 

7 Advisory Committee. 

8 ‘‘(C) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Advisory 

9 Committee may use the United States mails in 

10 the same manner and under the same condi11 tions as other departments and agencies of the 

12 Federal Government. 

13 ‘‘(D) GIFTS.—The Advisory Committee 

14 may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or dona15 tions of services or property. 

16 ‘‘(7) ADVISORY COMMITTEE PERSONNEL MAT17 TERS.— 

18 ‘‘(A) COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS.—A 

19 member of the Advisory Committee who is not 

20 an officer or employee of the Federal Govern21 ment shall be compensated at a rate equal to 

22 the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic 

23 pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive 

24 Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 

25 States Code, for each day (including travel 


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1 time) during which the member is engaged in 

2 the performance of the duties of the Advisory 

3 Committee. 

4 ‘‘(B) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of 

5 the Advisory Committee shall be allowed travel 

6 expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsist7 ence, at rates authorized for employees of agen8 cies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 

9 United States Code, while away from their 

10 homes or regular places of business in the per11 formance of services for the Advisory Com12 mittee. 

13 ‘‘(8) STAFF.— 

14 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Chair of the Ad15 visory Committee may, without regard to the 

16 civil service laws (including regulations), ap17 point and terminate an executive director and 

18 such other additional personnel as may be nec19 essary to enable the Advisory Committee to per20 form its duties, except that the employment of 

21 an executive director shall be subject to con22 firmation by the Advisory Committee. 

23 ‘‘(B) COMPENSATION.—The Chair of the 

24 Advisory Committee may fix the compensation 

25 of the executive director and other personnel 


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1 without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter 

2 III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, 

3 relating to classification of positions and Gen4 eral Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of 

5 pay for the executive director and other per6 sonnel may not exceed the rate payable for level 

7 V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 

8 of that title. 

9 ‘‘(9) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—A 

10 Federal Government employee may be detailed to 

11 the Advisory Committee without reimbursement, and 

12 such detail shall be without interruption or loss of 

13 civil service status or privilege. 

14 ‘‘(10) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND

15 INTERMITTENT SERVICES.—The Chair of the Advi16 sory Committee may procure temporary and inter17 mittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, 

18 United States Code, at rates for individuals that do 

19 not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 

20 basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive 

21 Schedule under section 5316 of that title. 

22 ‘‘(11) COORDINATION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

23 CAMPAIGNS.—The Director shall share recommenda24 tions developed by the Advisory Committee with en25 tities that receive Federal funding for public eduVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:02 Sep 19, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S5023.IS S5023

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1 cation campaigns relating to falls prevention, includ2 ing under section 393D(a) of the Public Health 

3 Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280b–1f(a)). 

4 ‘‘(12) TERMINATION.—The Advisory Committee 

5 shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the 

6 date on which all initial members are appointed. 

7 ‘‘(b) REPORTS RELATING TO FALLS PREVENTION.— 

8 ‘‘(1) DATA SHARING.—Agencies within the De9 partment of Health and Human Services, and other 

10 Federal agencies, that have data relating to falls 

11 prevention shall share such data with the Assistant 

12 Secretary, to enable the Assistant Secretary to com13 plete the reports under paragraph (2). 

14 ‘‘(2) REGULAR REPORTS.—The Assistant Sec15 retary shall submit to Congress a report, not later 

16 than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Stand 

17 Strong Falls Prevention Act and every 4 years 

18 thereafter, that includes— 

19 ‘‘(A) an evaluation of all federally funded 

20 programs and efforts in falls prevention (includ21 ing education programs, home and community22 based programs, and hospital programs and any 

23 such programs or efforts included in budget re24 quests and approvals), including an evaluation 

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1 gram performance), mission, and purpose of 

2 such programs related to falls prevention; 

3 ‘‘(B) an assessment of the progress of the 

4 United States in addressing falls prevention, as 

5 reported by the Advisory Committee under sub6 section (a)(2)(B); 

7 ‘‘(C) an evaluation of the implementation 

8 of any pilot or demonstration program or model 

9 recommended under subsection (a)(5)(B) or 

10 any other pilot or demonstration program de11 scribed in such subsection that has otherwise 

12 been initiated by the Administrator of the Cen13 ters for Medicare & Medicaid Services; 

14 ‘‘(D) a description of the outcomes of the 

15 recommendations of the Advisory Committee 

16 under subsection (a)(5), including priorities, if 

17 necessary, through an updated national plan 

18 under subsection (a)(2)(A); 

19 ‘‘(E) recommendations, based on the eval20 uations, assessment, and outcomes described in 

21 subparagraphs (A) through (D), for— 

22 ‘‘(i) priority actions to— 

23 ‘‘(I) reduce the financial impact 

24 of falls on expenditures under the 

25 Medicare program under title XVIII 


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1 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

2 1395 et seq.), the Medicaid program 

3 under title XIX of such Act (42 

4 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), and other feder5 ally funded programs through falls 

6 prevention initiatives; and 

7 ‘‘(II) improve health outcomes 

8 through such initiatives; 

9 ‘‘(ii) priority actions to improve 

10 screening, referral, and interventions to ad11 dress falls prevention; 

12 ‘‘(iii) expanding pilot or demonstra13 tion programs or models described in sub14 section (a)(5)(B) towards implementation 

15 on a nationwide basis in accordance with 

16 section 1115A(c) of the Social Security Act 

17 (42 U.S.C. 1315a(c)) by 2030; and 

18 ‘‘(iv) steps to implement each rec19 ommendation described in this paragraph; 

20 and 

21 ‘‘(F)(i) a report on the status and success 

22 of public education campaigns related to falls 

23 prevention; and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) recommendations for improvements 

2 for future federally funded public education 

3 campaigns related to falls prevention. 

4 ‘‘(c) FUNDING.— 

5 ‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

6 To carry out this section, there are authorized to be 

7 appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 

8 each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. 

9 ‘‘(2) EXISTING AMOUNTS.—In addition to any 

10 amounts appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1), 

11 the Assistant Secretary may carry out this section 

12 using amounts otherwise made available to the As13 sistant Secretary. 

14 ‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘falls 

15 prevention’ means prevention of injury from falls that fo16 cuses on reducing fall risk factors, preventing repeat falls, 

17 and preventing falls with injuries.’’. 

Æ 


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