Seventeen new sites, which includes some skilled nursing facilities, were added to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services care transitions program, the agency announced Friday.

Launched in the spring of 2011, the Affordable Care Act’s Community-based Care Transitions Program aims to improve transitions between hospitals and post-acute settings, and reduce hospital readmissions among Medicare beneficiaries. One of the awardees, for example, was The Los Angeles Mid-City Integrated Care Collaborative, which will work to lower hospital readmission rates by partnering L.A. hospitals with regional SNFs, rehabilitation facilities and other aging services organizations.

Under the ACA program, hospitals will work with community-based organizations to manage Medicare beneficiary transitions and improve their quality of care. Up to $500 million in total funding is available for 2011 through 2015, according to CMS.

There currently are 200 acute-care hospitals partnered with community-based organizations, serving nearly 185,800 Medicare beneficiaries in 21 states, CMS said.

Click here for a list of newly added providers and community-based organizations. Click here for information on how to apply to the CCTP program.