SAFE Act
Congress bill would add PT/OT fall-prevention services to Medicare wellness visits starting in 2026
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- If a Medicare patient fell in the past year, their yearly wellness visit would have to include a fall-risk check and fall-prevention help.
- Physical therapists and occupational therapists could provide a separate fall-risk assessment and fall-prevention services for these patients.
- Medicare’s “welcome to Medicare” preventive exam would also cover outpatient physical therapy and occupational therapy for people who fell in the past year.
- These changes would start for visits and exams on or after January 1, 2026.
- Starting January 1, 2027, Health and Human Services would send Congress a yearly report on falls among people age 65+ who got care for fall-related pain or injury.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articlesNew Bills Highlight OTs Role in Preventing Falls
AOTA discusses the SAFE Act (H.R. 1171) and how it would integrate OT/PT-led falls risk assessments and prevention services into Medicare Annual Wellness Visits and “Welcome to Medicare” exams.
APTA-Backed Legislation on Falls Screening Returns to Congress
APTA covers reintroduction of the SAFE Act in the House (H.R. 1171), describing added falls screening/prevention at Medicare Annual Wellness Visits and the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive exam.
Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly Act, or SAFE Act (H.R. 1171 / S. 2612)
APTA position paper supporting the SAFE Act (H.R. 1171 / S. 2612), summarizing how it would expand Medicare falls screening/prevention services and include PTs/OTs in covered wellness-visit services.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
SAFE Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(3)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.