---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 280j–3"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "280j–3"
heading: "Quality improvement program for hospitals with a high severity adjusted readmission rate"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/280j-3"
units:
  - "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. Quality improvement program for hospitals with a high severity adjusted readmission rate

- (a) **Establishment—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 2 years after March 23, 2010, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall make available a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for eligible [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) to improve their readmission rates through the use of [patient safety organizations](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=4) (as defined in [section 299b–21(4) of this title](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=4)).
  - (2) **Eligible hospital defined—** In this subsection, the term “eligible [hospital](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1)” means a [hospital](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) that the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) determines has a high rate of risk adjusted readmissions for the conditions described in [section 1395ww(q)(8)(A) of this title](/usc/42/1395ww.md?p=q-8-A) 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](/usc/42/201.md?p=c).
  - (3) **Risk adjustment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall utilize appropriate risk adjustment measures to determine eligible [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1).
- (b) **Report to the Secretary—** As determined appropriate by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), eligible [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) and [patient safety organizations](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=4) working with those [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) shall report to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) on the processes employed by the [hospital](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) to improve readmission rates and the impact of such processes on readmission rates.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 399KK, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title III, § 3025(b), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 412.)