§280j–3 Quality improvement program for hospitals with a high severity adjusted readmission rate

Summary

The Secretary must, no later than 2 years after March 23, 2010 (by March 23, 2012), set up a program that helps certain hospitals lower their readmission rates by working with patient safety organizations (see section 299b–21(4) for that term). An "eligible hospital" is one the Secretary finds has high risk‑adjusted readmissions for the conditions in section 1395ww(q)(8)(A) and has not shown appropriate steps to reduce them. The Secretary must use risk‑adjustment methods to pick eligible hospitals. If the Secretary finds it appropriate, those hospitals and the patient safety organizations they work with must report to the Secretary on the methods they used and how those methods changed readmission rates.