bating at the time of admission of a pa-
tient to the hospital involved; 
‘‘(ii) is present at any time after ad-
mission and before discharge of such pa-
tient; and 
‘‘(iii) could reasonably have been pre-
vented had patient safety measures, plans, 
and guidelines been adopted and followed; 
and 
‘‘(B) includes surgical site infections, ven-
tilator associated pneumonia, central line re-
lated (IV) blood infections, urinary tract infec-
tions, 
methicillin-resistant 
Staphylococcus 
aureus (MRSA) infections, clostridium difficile 
infections, and any additional infections speci-
fied by the Secretary. 
‘‘(8) APPLICATION TO CRITICAL ACCESS HOS-
PITALS.—For purposes of this subsection, the term 
‘hospital’ shall include a critical access hospital.’’. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2010. 
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SEC. 4. MEDICARE PILOT PROGRAM TO REDUCE HEALTH 
CARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTION RATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services is authorized to design and implement 
a pilot program under title XVIII of the Social Security 
Act to provide financial incentives or grants to hospitals 
and ambulatory surgical centers, as selected by the Sec-
retary in accordance with subsection (b), that demonstrate 
to the satisfaction of the Secretary a reduction in the rate 
of occurrence (or elimination) of health care-associated in-
fections in the applicable hospital or ambulatory surgical 
center. 
(b) SELECTION OF HOSPITALS AND AMBULATORY 
SURGICAL CENTERS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall select hos-
pitals and ambulatory surgical centers— 
(1) that are capable of accurately monitoring 
and reporting the rate of occurrence of health care- 
associated infections; and 
(2) the participation of which in such program 
will likely result in the greatest scientific and health 
benefit for purposes of reducing the rate of occur-
rence of such infections. 
(c) LIMITATION.—Under the pilot program under 
this section the aggregate financial incentives provided 
under the program for reduction in infections in a period 
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shall not exceed 10 percent of the amount (estimated by 
the Secretary) by which Federal expenditures under title 
XVIII of the Social Security Act are reduced in such pe-
riod as a result of such reduction in infections. 
(d) HEALTH
CARE-ASSOCIATED
INFECTION
DE-
FINED.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘health 
care-associated infection’’ has the meaning given such 
term under section 1866(k)(6) of the Social Security Act, 
as added by section 3(b). 
(e) APPLICATION
TO
CRITICAL
ACCESS
HOS-
PITALS.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘hos-
pital’’ shall include a critical access hospital. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this section there are authorized to be appropriated 
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2010. 
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that health care providers 
and facilities should take measures to reduce the rate of 
occurrence of health care-associated infections to zero, 
with respect to patients to whom such providers and facili-
ties furnish services. 
Æ 
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