42 U.S.C. § 1395bb: Effect of accreditation

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 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. 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. 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. 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 1395i–3 and 1395x(j) of this title apply. For purposes of this section, the term “provider entity” means a provider of services, supplier, facility (including a renal dialysis facility), clinic, agency, or laboratory. The Secretary may not disclose any accreditation survey (other than a survey with respect to a home health agency or, beginning on December 27, 2020 , a hospice program) made and released to the Secretary by the American Osteopathic Association 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. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, 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). For provisions relating to validation surveys of entities that are treated as meeting applicable conditions or requirements of this subchapter pursuant to subsection (a)(1), see section 1395aa(c) of this title . Validation surveys referred to in subsection (d). Accreditation program reviews (as defined in section 488.8(c) of title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or a successor regulation). Performance reviews (as defined in section 488.8(a) of title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or a successor regulation). Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 1395m, 1395w–22, 1395x, 1395aa, and 1395 ll of this title] shall apply with respect to accreditations of hospitals granted on or after the date that is 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [ July 15, 2008 ]. For purposes of title XVIII of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.), the amendments made by this section shall not effect [sic] the accreditation of a hospital by the Joint Commission, or under accreditation or comparable approval standards found to be essentially equivalent to accreditation or approval standards of the Joint Commission, for the period of time applicable under such accreditation.” Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [ Dec. 19, 1989 ]. The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.”