Grab bars can help older adults avoid falls. Why won’t Medicare cover them?

Grab bars are commonly recommended to help older adults avoid potentially life-altering falls, but basic Medicare does not cover them — a policy a new lobbying campaign hopes to change.

Grab bars — rails attached to walls, particularly in bathrooms — help provide balance and prevent falls, preventing serious injuries, said Jim Christian, founder of the effort to push Medicare to cover the devices, Safety Bars for America.

“It’s one of those things that just doesn’t make sense not to do,” Christian said.

There has been a 61% increase in deaths related to falls in Santa Clara County for residents over 65 between 2018 and 2025, according to data from the county coroner’s office. Last year, nearly 270 deaths of Santa Clara County residents older than 65 were attributed in part to a fall.

Across the country, falls are the leading cause of injury-related trauma among adults 65 and older, according to the CDC. While a younger person may walk away with little more than a bruise, the same fall can be catastrophic for an older adult, said John Skovran, the medical director of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley. Aging bones are more fragile, making fractures more likely, while blood-thinning medications, which many older adults take, can increase the risk of severe internal bleeding after a fall.

Currently, basic Medicare, the public health insurer of many adults over 65, does not cover grab bars, categorizing them like nonslip flooring or bathtub seats as convenience items rather than medical necessities. According to AARP, 10 percent of Medicare Advantage plans, operated by private insurance companies, cover some bathroom safety devices.

On average, Christian estimates that bars and installation cost between $100 and $300. The CDC projects medical costs related to falls will reach $100 billion annually by 2030, but it’s unclear how much extending coverage to include grab bar installation would cost taxpayers.

Expanding any government program should closely consider costs, said Susan Shelley, vice president of communications for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which lobbies for smaller government and lower taxes.

“Medicare is already a very expensive program,” Shelley said. “People have needs of all kinds, and the government has limited resources because it comes from taxpayers. It’s a question of priorities and resources.”

For older adults, a broken hip, in particular, can permanently alter independence.

“They lose strength, mobility and confidence,” said Skovran, of Alta Bates. “Even if they don’t have a serious injury, they tend to move less after a fall because they’re scared.”

The danger doesn’t always end with the impact. Older adults who fall while living alone may remain on the floor for hours before being discovered, he said, increasing the risk of muscle breakdown, dehydration and other complications caused by prolonged immobility.

The circumstances surrounding falls also change as people age.

Peggy Cawthon, a doctor who studies falls among older adults at California Pacific Medical Center, said younger seniors — those between 65 and 75 — are more likely to fall while exercising or doing strenuous household chores. But among the oldest adults, falls increasingly occur during routine daily activities.

“Going to the bathroom and showering become much more common circumstances,” Cawthon said.

She said grab bars are likely to be particularly helpful for older adults with declining balance and mobility because they provide stability during everyday movements such as stepping into a bathtub or standing from a toilet.

While grab bars may reduce risk in key areas of the home, Cawthon emphasized they are only one part of fall prevention. Research has also shown that balance-focused exercises, including Tai Chi, can reduce falls and that maintaining strength and balance becomes increasingly important with age.