Institute:Office of National Coordinator (ONC) Workforce Training Curriculum
Component:Introduction to Health Care and Public Health in the U.S.
Unit:Financing Health Care - Part 2
Lecture:Factors Contributing to Increasing U.S. Health Care Costs
Slide content:EMTALA Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 Legal mandate to offer medical care to all patients regardless of ability to pay Anyone presenting to an ED must be: Examined to determine if there is an emergency Treated until stabilized, discharged to self care or continuing care Transferred to a facility capable of providing care if the facility is unable to provide the required care 21
Slide notes:The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA, is a federal law that requires hospitals to provide emergency medical care to patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Anyone presenting to an emergency room requesting evaluation for an illness must be examined to determine if there is an emergency, treated until stabilized if there is one, and discharged to self-care or continuing care. If the hospital is unable to provide the care at its facility, then the patient must be transferred to a facility able to provide the care. 21