H.R. 5275: Diagnostic Accuracy in Sepsis Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Diagnostic Accuracy in Sepsis Act of 2025, proposes amendments to existing Medicare regulations regarding hospital-acquired conditions. Specifically, it aims to include blood contamination caused by blood culture tests as an official category of hospital-acquired conditions under the Medicare program.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• Definition Update: The definition of what constitutes a hospital-acquired condition will be updated to explicitly include blood culture contamination.
• Establishment of Measures: The bill mandates the establishment of a measurement standard for blood culture contamination, setting a benchmark where the contamination rate should not exceed 1%.
• Impact on Fiscal Years: The new measure regarding blood culture contamination will apply to discharges occurring during fiscal year 2026 and beyond.

Implications

The inclusion of blood contamination as a hospital-acquired condition means that hospitals could be held accountable for instances of blood culture contamination that occur during patient treatment. This change may influence hospital protocols and practices related to blood testing and handling.Additionally, it may affect Medicare reimbursement rates, as hospitals may face penalties or reductions in payments for cases deemed to involve blood contamination. Hospitals will need to implement better practices to reduce contamination rates to comply with the new standards and avoid financial repercussions.

Relevant Companies

None found.