Lawsuits imply EMTALA requires EDs to admit all uninsured patients.
Uninsured and underinsured patients are a growing challenge for EDs, but requirements for the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) are simple and clear-cut. EMTALA's jurisdiction ends when emergency treatment is completed or it is determined that no emergency exists. Admission is only covered by EMTALA when it is required to stabilize the patient. The ability or inability of a patient to pay should not be known nor requested in the ED.
D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States