Which accreditation combination deems Medicare requirements are met for hospitals?

• A. The Joint Commission (TJC) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
• B. The Joint Commission and NCQA
• C. The AMA and AOA
• D. CMS alone

Answer: (A)

Medicare accepts that a hospital has met its requirements through deemed status granted by CMS-recognized accrediting organizations. The Joint Commission is the most widely used hospital accreditor, and the American Osteopathic Association is another organization that CMS recognizes for hospital accreditation. When a hospital holds accreditation from both of these CMS-recognized bodies, it clearly demonstrates that Medicare requirements are met under the deemed-status framework. The other options don’t fit because NCQA focuses on accrediting health plans rather than hospitals, AMA is not an accrediting organization for hospitals, and CMS alone isn’t an accrediting body—the deemed status comes through a CMS-recognized accreditor.