QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR HOSPITALS WITH A HIGH SEVERITY ADJUSTED READMISSION RATE.

SEC. 399KK. [280j–3] QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR HOSPITALS WITH A HIGH SEVERITY ADJUSTED READMISSION RATE. (a) Establishment.— (1) In general.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, 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 921(4)). (2) Eligible hospital defined.—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 1886(q)(8)(A) of the Social Security Act 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) Risk adjustment.—The Secretary shall utilize appropriate risk adjustment measures to determine eligible hospitals. (b) Report to the Secretary.—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.