,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bhca  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #ag 
7legislative day1 ,september #af71      
#bjbe,mr4 ,king introduced the following
 bill2 which was read twice and referred
 to the ,committee on ,finance  ,a      
,,bill  ,to amend title ,,xviii of the  
,social ,security ,act to provide       
coverage for certain fall prevention    
items under the ,medicare program4  #a4 
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,stand ,strong for ,medicare ,act4  
#b4 ,providing coverage for certain fall
 prevention items under the ,medicare   
program  7a7 ,in general  7#a7 ,coverage
 ,section #ahfa of the ,social ,security
 ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7 is         
amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7n7-- 7i7  
by striking and wheelchairs and         
inserting wheelchairs2 and  7ii7 by     
inserting 1 and fall prevention items   
7as defined in subsection 7nnn77 after  
may prescribe72 and  7,b7 by adding at  
the end the following new subsection3   

7nnn7 ,fall prevention items ,the term  
fall prevention items includes grab     
bars1 non-slip mats1 shower chairs1 bed 
rails1 and such other items or          
categories of items as the ,secretary   
may specify4  4  7#b7 ,exclusion        
modification ,section #ahfb7;a77#a7 of  
the ,social ,security ,act 7#db         
,u4,s4,c4 #aciey7a77#a77 is amended--   
7,a7 in subparagraph 7,o71 by striking  
and at the end2  7,b7 in subparagraph   
7,p71 by striking the semicolon and     
inserting 1 and2 and  7,c7 by adding at 
the end the following new subparagraph3 
7,q7 in the case of fall prevention     
items 7as defined in section            
#ahfa7nnn771 which are not furnished    
pursuant to an order of a physician or  
practitioner 7as described in section   
#ahdb7;b77#ah77;,c772  4  7b7 ,exemption
 from sequestration ,notwithstanding any
 other provision of law1 payments for   
fall prevention items 7as defined in    
section #ahfa7nnn7 of the ,social       
,security ,act1 as added by subsection  

7a77 under the ,medicare program shall  
not be subject to any reduction under a 
sequestration issued under the ,balanced
 ,budget and ,emergency ,deficit        
,control ,act of #aihe1 the ,statutory  
,pay-,as-,you-,go ,act of #bjaj1 or any 
other provision law4  7c7 ,effective    
date ,the amendments made by subsection 
7a7 shall apply beginning #fj days after
 the date of the enactment of this ,act4