EFFECT OF ACCREDITATION^[619]

Sec. 1865. [42 U.S.C. 1395bb] (a)[620](1) If^[621]the Secretary finds that accreditation of a provider entity (as defined in paragraph (4)) by the American Osteopathic Association or any other national accreditation body demonstrates that all of the applicable conditions or requirements of this title (other than the requirements of section 1834(j) or the conditions and requirements under section 1881(b)) are met or exceeded—

(A) in the case of a provider entity not described in paragraph (3)(B), the Secretary shall treat such entity as meeting those conditions or requirements with respect to which the Secretary made such finding; or

(B) in the case of a provider entity described in paragraph (3)(B), the Secretary may treat such entity as meeting those conditions or requirements with respect to which the Secretary made such finding.

(2) In making such a finding, the Secretary shall consider, among other factors with respect to a national accreditation body, its requirements for accreditation, its survey procedures, its ability to provide adequate resources for conducting required surveys and supplying information for use in enforcement activities, its monitoring procedures for provider entities found out of compliance with the conditions or requirements, and its ability to provide the Secretary with necessary data for validation.

(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), not later than 60 days after the date of receipt of a written request for a finding under paragraph (1) (with any documentation necessary to make a determination on the request), the Secretary shall publish a notice identifying the national accreditation body making the request, describing the nature of the request, and providing a period of at least 30 days for the public to comment on the request. The Secretary shall approve or deny a request for such a finding, and shall publish notice of such approval or denial, not later than 210 days after the date of receipt of the request (with such documentation). Such an approval shall be effective with respect to accreditation determinations made on or after such effective date (which may not be later than the date of publication of the approval) as the Secretary specifies in the publication notice.

(B) The 210–day and 60–day deadlines specified in subparagraph (A) shall not apply in the case of any request for a finding with respect to accreditation of a provider entity to which the conditions and requirements of sections 1819 and 1861(j) apply.

(4) For purposes of this section, the term “provider entity” means a provider of services, supplier, facility, clinic, agency, or laboratory.

(b) The Secretary may not disclose any accreditation survey (other than a survey with respect to a home health agency) made and released to the Secretary by^[622] the American Osteopathic Association^[623] or any other national accreditation body, of an entity accredited by such body, except that the Secretary may disclose such a survey and information related to such a survey to the extent such survey and information relate to an enforcement action taken by the Secretary.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, if the Secretary finds that a provider entity has significant deficiencies (as defined in regulations pertaining to health and safety), the entity shall, after the date of notice of such finding to the entity and for such period as may be prescribed in regulations, be deemed not to meet the conditions or requirements the entity has been treated as meeting pursuant to subsection (a)(1)^[624].

(d) For provisions relating to validation surveys of entities that are treated as meeting applicable conditions or requirements of this title pursuant to subsection (a)(1)^[625], see section 1864(c).

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^[619]  See Vol. II, P.L. 110-275, §125(c),with respect to the authority to recognize the Joint Commission as a National Accreditation Body and §125(d), with respect to an effective date and transition rule for the amendments made by P.L. 110-275, §125.

^[620]  P.L. 110-275, §125(a)(1), struck out subsection (a) and §125(a)(2), and redesignated the former subsections (b), (c), (d) and (e) as (a), (b), (c) and (d), respectively, applicable with respect to accreditations of hospitals granted on or after the date that is 24 months (July 15, 2010) after the date of enactment of P.L. 110-275 (July 15, 2008). For the Effective Date and Transition Rule, see Vol. II, P.L. 110-275, §125(d). For subsection (a) as it formerly read, see Vol. II, Appendix J, Superseded Provisions, P.L. 110-275.

^[621]  P.L. 110-275, §125(b)(2)(A), struck out “In addition, if” and inserted “If”.

^[622]  P.L. 110-275, §125(b)(2)(B)(i), struck out “released to him by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals,” and inserted “released to the Secretary by”, effective July 15, 2010.

^[623]  P.L. 110-275, §125(b)(2)(B)(ii), struck out the comma.

^[624]  P.L. 110-275, §125(b)(2)(C), struck out “subsection (a) and (b)(1)” and inserted “pursuant to subsection (a)(1)”.

^[625]  P.L. 110-275, §125(b)(2)(D), struck out “subsection (a) and (b)(1)” and inserted “pursuant to subsection (a)(1)”.