American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Practice Test

Which legislation prevents Medicare from reimbursing hospitals for costs related to hospital-acquired infections?

1. Affordable Care Act

2. Deficit Reduction Act

3. Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act

4. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

The correct answer is: Deficit Reduction Act

The legislation that prevents Medicare from reimbursing hospitals for costs related to hospital-acquired infections is the Deficit Reduction Act. This act introduced several significant changes aimed at reducing Medicare expenditures, one of which includes provisions targeting preventable conditions, such as specific hospital-acquired infections. By linking reimbursement policies to the quality of care, the act encourages hospitals to implement stringent infection control practices, thereby incentivizing institutions to take proactive measures to prevent these infections from occurring in the first place. This legislative framework aims to improve patient safety and reduce unnecessary healthcare costs associated with managing complications that could have been avoided with better preventive measures. Other legislation mentioned, while significant in other contexts, either focuses on broader healthcare reforms, patient protections, or privacy issues and does not specifically address the reimbursement policies related to hospital-acquired conditions.