Health care professionals have a responsibility to provide medical treatment to any person with an emergency medical condition. Patients have the right to emergency medical treatment regardless of their ability to pay.
According to EMTALA or the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act, an emergency medical condition is defined as "a condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in placing the individual's health [or the health of an unborn child] in serious jeopardy, serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of bodily organs."
EMTALA was established to prevent hospitals from transferring patients or refusing to accept transferred patients for any reason other than their ability to treat them.
Hospitals are required to provide a medical screening examination to anyone that presents themselves for emergency services. If the patient has been diagnosed with an emergency medical condition, the hospital must provide treatment until the condition has been stabilized.
Patient's do not however have the right to medical treatment in non-emergency situations. It is up to each individual provider as to whether or not they choose to provide services to uninsured or underinsured patients.
Many health care providers can offer financial assistance to patients through discounts or charity programs.
