UPDATED 9:52 AM EST, February 10, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 1 million Americans wind up back in the hospital only weeks after they left for reasons that could have been prevented — a revolving door that for years has seemed impossible to slow.
Now Medicare has begun punishing hospitals with hefty fines if they have too many readmissions, and a top official says signs of improvement are beginning to emerge.
"We're at a very promising moment," Medicare deputy administrator Jonathan Blum told The Associated Press.
