Stand Strong Falls Prevention Act
Key claim: The Stand Strong Falls Prevention Act would establish a federal advisory committee under the Administration on Aging to coordinate falls-prevention research and services, maintain a national plan, and recommend a Medicare pilot covering basic home modifications plus wider use of CDC fall-risk tools.
Abstract
(S2833 · 119th Congress) Stand Strong Falls Prevention Act 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. Latest action (2026-03-19): Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.
Why this matters
Falls are a leading cause of injury and Medicare spending among older adults, and this bill would create the first standing federal coordinating body plus a national plan focused on prevention. The recommended Medicare pilot for basic home modifications, if enacted, could expand covered benefits into a category Medicare has historically excluded, with practical implications for beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket home-safety costs.