1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Reducing Unnecessary Senior Hospitalizations Act of 2018 or the RUSH Act of 2018 . 2. SNF-based provision of preventive acute care and hospitalization reduction program Title XVIII of the Social Security Act is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 1899C. SNF-based provision of preventive acute care and hospitalization reduction program (a) Establishment There is established a program to be known as the SNF-based Provision of Preventive Acute Care and Hospitalization Reduction Program (in this section referred to as the Program ), to be administered by the Secretary, for purposes of reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department visits by allowing qualified group practices (as defined in section 1877(h)(4)) on or after January 1, 2019, to furnish items and services identified under subsection (b)(3) to individuals entitled to benefits under part A and enrolled under part B residing in qualified skilled nursing facilities. (b) Operation of Program Under the Program, the Secretary shall provide for the following: (1) Certification of skilled nursing facilities as qualified skilled nursing facilities under subsection (c)(1). (2) Certification of group practices as qualified group practices under subsection (c)(2). (3) Identification of minimum required nonsurgical items and services furnished at a hospital emergency department that may be safely furnished by a qualified group practice at a qualified skilled nursing facility under the Program and that such qualified group practice shall offer to furnish under the Program. (4) Annual identification of additional items and services furnished at a hospital emergency department that may be safely furnished by a qualified group practice at a qualified skilled nursing facility under the Program during a year and that such qualified group practice may offer to furnish under the Program during such year. (5) Establishment of qualifications for nonphysician employees of such qualified group