The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act ensures public access to emergency medical treatment regardless of the patient's ability or inability to pay for the services. This policy aims to provide immediate medical assisstance to those in need.
This policy supports lower class people, the disabled, and elderly populations as well as the rest of the public in that lifesaving procedures must be provided despite the patients ability to pay.
In regards to pulic health, this policy provides equality in emergency/ life saving procedures despite economic barriers the patient may face.
This policy was part of the Consolitated Omnibus Reconciliation Act. Prior to this legislation, specifically Medicare and uninsured patients were being refused lifesaving procedures because of their inabiliy to pay for the services. Patient dumpin became an issue, in which a patient is transferred from a private to a public hospital, and essentially over working public hospitals for minimum wages.
This policy applies to anyone residing in the United States who require medical screening examinations as outlined in the act or treatment for an emergency medical condition.
This policy was drafted by Congress as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act and passed in 1986 to address Medicare related issues.
For first responders and technical professionals, this policy requires them to provide the emergency care needed to the patient despite the patients ability to pay. This policy puts to the value of someone's life higher than someone's economic status.