Title: EMTALA, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
Headings: EMTALA: The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
EMTALA: The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
Emergency Rooms Must Screen and Stabilize Regardless of Ability to Pay
Legal Duties of Hospitals Under the EMTALA Law
EMTALA Does Not Provide Free Care

Content: EMTALA, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
Patient Rights
EMTALA: The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act
Emergency Rooms Must Screen and Stabilize Regardless of Ability to Pay
By
Trisha Torrey
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Trisha Torrey is a patient empowerment and advocacy consultant. She has written several books about patient advocacy and how to best navigate the healthcare system. Learn about our editorial process
Trisha Torrey
Fact checked by
Fact checked by Sheeren Jegtvig on March 06, 2020
Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process
Sheeren Jegtvig
on March 06, 2020
In 1986, the U.S. federal government passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). This act requires any hospital that accepts payments from Medicare to provide care to any patient who arrives in its emergency department for treatment, regardless of the patient's citizenship, legal status in the United States or ability to pay for the services. EMTALA applies to ambulance and hospital care. Tom Carter / The Photographer's Choice / Getty Images
EMTALA was developed to combat "patient dumping," the practice of refusing to treat people who did not have the ability to pay for healthcare services. It guarantees those with insufficient means will not be turned away from emergency medical care.