Title: Can a Hospital Refuse Treatment Without Insurance? | Pocketsense
Headings: Can a Hospital Refuse Treatment Without Insurance?
Can a Hospital Refuse Treatment Without Insurance?
Covered Hospitals
Fines and Penalties
Screening and Discharge
ER Charges and Collections

Content: After performing the MSE, the hospital may not transfer the acute patient to another facility unless it lacks the resources to treat the patient. Once the patient is stable, the hospital may discharge the patient and has no further legal obligation for treatment. ER Charges and Collections
The law requiring acute care in emergency rooms does not also require free treatment. The hospital providing the care may bill for that care, and if the bill goes unpaid, has the right to pursue the balance through debt-collection action. After getting a judgment in court, the hospital may have the right to enforce a judgment through garnishment of wages, bank account levies or the seizure of property, depending on state law. In addition, the hospital has no obligation to provide follow-up treatment, prescriptions, medical tests or rehabilitation. References
Ascension Health: Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)
CNN: Why Emergency Rooms Don't Close the Healthcare Gap
EMTALA.com: Frequently Asked Questions
Writer Bio
Founder/president of the innovative reference publisher The Archive LLC, Tom Streissguth has been a self-employed business owner, independent bookseller and freelance author in the school/library market.