Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is calling for changes to a federal law that allows accrediting organizations overseen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, such as The Joint Commission, to keep hospital inspection reports private, according to an article on the Becker's Hospital Review website.
The senator sent a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma asking for more information on what statutory changes would need to be made to end the confidentiality around inspection reports.
Grassley's letter follows an investigative report by the Wall Street Journal that found The Joint Commission seldom revokes its seal of approval for hospitals who do not comply with Medicare regulations — even after violations that seriously threaten patient safety.
"The Joint Commission appears to be unable to aggressively enforce the necessary standards on all facilities," Grassley wrote.
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