Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§280j–3 Quality Improvement Program for Hospitals with a High Severity Adjusted Readmission Rate

Title 42 › Chapter 6A— PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter II— GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES › Part S— Health Care Quality Programs › Subpart i— national strategy for quality improvement in health care › § 280j–3

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 2 years after March 23, 2010, the Secretary must create a program that uses patient safety organizations to help eligible hospitals lower their readmission rates. The Secretary must use proper risk-adjustment methods to pick which hospitals take part. An "eligible hospital" is one the Secretary finds has a high risk-adjusted readmission rate for the conditions listed in section 1395ww(q)(8)(A) and has not shown appropriate steps to cut those readmissions. The Secretary can require those hospitals and the patient safety organizations working with them to report on the methods they use and how those methods affect readmission rates.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §280j–3

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Not later than 2 years after March 23, 2010, the Secretary shall make available a program for eligible hospitals to improve their readmission rates through the use of patient safety organizations (as defined in section 299b–21(4) of this title).

(2)In this subsection, the term “eligible hospital” means a hospital that the Secretary determines has a high rate of risk adjusted readmissions for the conditions described in section 1395ww(q)(8)(A) of this title and has not taken appropriate steps to reduce such readmissions and improve patient safety as evidenced through historically high rates of readmissions, as determined by the Secretary.

(3)The Secretary shall utilize appropriate risk adjustment measures to determine eligible hospitals.

(b)As determined appropriate by the Secretary, eligible hospitals and patient safety organizations working with those hospitals shall report to the Secretary on the processes employed by the hospital to improve readmission rates and the impact of such processes on readmission rates.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 280j–3

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60