Question: “If hospitals really can turn indigent people away who need serious help?”
From: Roxane M. of Roscommon, MI

Answer: The answer to your question is NO but this needs further explanation. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Law (EMTALA), if any patient presents to an Emergency Department requesting examination or medical treatment, the patient must be provided with adequate medical screening to determine if an ”emergency medical condition” exists. If not, the hospital is under no further obligation, but if it is determined that such a condition exists, the hospital must treat the patient until stable or transfer to another hospital within conditions defined by the statute. What qualifies as a medical condition is ultimately a medical definition but there are legal reviews. The patient may be transferred to another facility after stabilized or if the situation requires care that the initial hospital cannot provide and the risks are outweighed by the medical benefits to the patient.

You can also find a list of the Top Ten Resources to use when you are uninsured or underinsured in my book, 7 Steps to Your Best Possible Healthcare and on the website 7stepshealth.com. These resources can help in the event you need medical care that is not considered to be an “emergency”.