Which law established quality reporting initiatives for hospitals?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is indeed the correct answer because it established several quality reporting initiatives aimed at improving the quality of care that hospitals provide. Enacted in 2010, the ACA introduced measures that mandated public reporting of hospital quality metrics, tied reimbursement rates to performance on these measures, and provided incentives for hospitals to improve patient care. This act was a critical part of a broader effort to enhance healthcare quality and efficiency, linking federal payment policies to quality outcomes rather than just the quantity of services provided.

The other options, while significant pieces of legislation in their own right, do not primarily focus on establishing quality reporting for hospitals. The Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act, for example, primarily addressed healthcare financing and education reforms. The Patient Protection Act is often seen as a reference to parts of the ACA but does not independently establish quality initiatives. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, on the other hand, primarily focused on reforming payments for Medicare services rather than creating the initial framework for quality reporting initiatives in hospitals. Thus, the ACA stands out as the key law that initiated these quality improvements within hospital systems.