Beckley, WV (WOAY) – U.S. Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia visited a Beckley physical therapy clinic Monday to promote a Medicare bill he is sponsoring in the Senate, legislation he says could prevent falls among older residents and save taxpayers money.
Justice appeared at First Settlement Physical Therapy to make his case for the SAFE Act, or the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly Act. Simon Hargus, who owns the clinic, described the legislation as a way to reach patients early.
“The SAFE Act is a really simple, commonsense idea that saves money. If you’re a Medicare beneficiary on your wellness visit and you’re described as having a fall risk, then you get a subsequent visit with a physical therapist to talk about your falls and your fall risk without a co-pay for that visit,” said Simon Hargus, owner of First Settlement Physical Therapy.
The bill has support across the physical therapy field, including the American Physical Therapy Association, the Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality and Innovation and the AARP. The Alliance estimates the medical cost of falls among older Americans at more than $50 billion a year.
Justice says the bill is about keeping seniors active and independent.
“If we can save dollars and make our seniors have a longer life, longevity in their lives, doing what they love to do. They love to hunt, fish, be in the outdoors with the grandkids, go to ballgames, all that kind of stuff they love to pass their wisdom on. And literally, if we just ignore that, shame on us,” said Justice.
Supporters argue prevention costs far less than the hospital stays and emergency room visits that follow a serious fall.
“Let’s let the physical therapist see the folks before they have that catastrophic fall that puts them in a hospital. And that’s where it gets really expensive. And that’s where on the preventative side, we can save the system a lot of money,” Hargus said.
Patients at the clinic say the therapy has expanded what they can do. Tina Boyd, a nurse who broke a hip in a fall last year, said it changed her life.
“I have grandchildren that have never seen me walk without a rollator, and now they got to see me walk. And I was able to do things with them. I tell these guys every day, they gave me my life back,” said Tina Boyd, a patient at First Settlement Physical Therapy.
The SAFE Act has not become law. Versions of the bill remain under consideration in both the House and the Senate.
“I really, truly believe the support of this is significant. For some weird reason, they listen to me, you know, they really do. Maybe it’s the white hair or maybe the common sense, but a lot of folks listen. And so I think we’ll get this done,” Justice said.
