Washington, D.C. – Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) will chair a hearing today of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee on Aging on the Elder Fall Prevention Act of 2002. This bill, introduced by Senators Tim Hutchinson (R-AR) and Mikulski, would create an education campaign to provide seniors with information on how to prevent devastating falls and reduce injury. The bill would also require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to evaluate the effect of falls on Medicare and Medicaid and the potential for reducing these costs by expanding coverage to include services for these "fall-related" injury.

Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths for Americans over the age of 65. They account for over 70% of accidental deaths for people over the age of 75 and are the leading cause of doctor visits, hospital admissions, and Emergency Room visits. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, the annual cost of fall injuries incurred by the elderly is well over $20 billion and is estimated to increase to $32 billion in the next 20 years if no efforts are made to address the problem.

"Falls don't discriminate," said Senator Mikulski. "Everyone has a friend or family member who has fallen. Yet falls can be prevented by taking steps like home modification, exercise, and reviewing medications to reduce side effects that can lead to falls. It is our job today to examine the impact of falls and what needs to be done to prevent them to help seniors live longer, healthier lives and to reduce health care costs."

"This important legislation provides a framework to reduce and prevent elder falls through public education campaigns for seniors, their families, and health care providers. It also increases research develop better ways to prevent falls, improves the treatment and rehabilitation of elder falls victims, and evaluates the effectiveness of community programs. I am proud to join Senator Hutchinson in introducing this important legislation."

The bill, authorized at $38 million per year for the next three years, would:

• establish a three year public education campaign for senior citizens, family members, and health care providers to teach preventative methods against elderly falls;
• direct the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (ARHQ) to research ways to develop better ways to prevent falls, improve the quality of treatment and rehabilitation of elder fall victims, and evaluate the effectiveness of community programs that prevent elder falls in assisted living and nursing homes;
• require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to evaluate the coverage offered by Medicare and Medicaid. This would be a federally authorized review of possible ways to expand coverage in order to better address the needs of seniors.