As part of the U.S. health reform legislation, which was enacted by Congress and signed by President Obama, Section 10607 of H.R. 3590 provides federal grants to state governments for the development of alternatives to medical malpractice litigation. The goal of this legislation is to develop alternatives which would resolve disputes and reduce errors in health care. Specifically, each state that wants to receive a grant must demonstrate how the proposed alternative “enhances patient safety by detecting, analyzing, and helping to reduce medical errors and adverse events.”
Other sections of the same U.S. health reform legislation provide financial penalties for health care-acquired infections and preventable readmissions to hospitals. Specifically, section 2702 provides that no federal government payment may be made under the Medicaid program for health care-acquired conditions. Section 3008 reduces the level of payment to hospitals which have a high rate of hospital-acquired conditions. Finally, section 3025 reduces the level of payment to hospitals which have an excessive rate of readmissions.
Dean M. Harris, J.D. Clinical Associate Professor Department of Health Policy and Management e-mail: Dean_Harris@unc.edu
