Title: Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) Laws | LegalMatch
Headings: Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) Laws
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) Laws
What Is EMTALA?
Contents
What Does EMTALA Require?
What Do These Terms Mean under EMTALA?
When Can a Patient Be Transferred?
Do I Need an Attorney?

Content: EMTALA only applies to hospitals that accept Medicare and Medicaid patients, and covers patients regardless of whether they have health insurance. Contents
What Does EMTALA Require? What Do These Terms Mean under EMTALA? When Can a Patient Be Transferred? Do I Need an Attorney? What Does EMTALA Require? If a patient comes to a hospital’s emergency room, the hospital must: Screen the patient to see if they have an emergency medical condition
If so, the hospital must either treat the patient or transfer the patient once he has been stabilized enough to make the move
If a pregnant woman comes to a hospital’s emergency room, the hospital must: Screen the patient to see if she is in active labor
If so, the hospital must either provide treatment until the child is delivered or transfer the woman if it is safe to do so
What Do These Terms Mean under EMTALA? While the law defines these terms, their meaning largely depends on the medical judgment of the doctor who is treating the patient.