During much of the 20th century, hospitals did not have a duty to treat patients who entered emergency departments. Without any given reason, they could refuse to treat certain patients. The practice of “patient dumping” arose from that lack of duty.

Patient dumping refers to situations when hospitals deny emergency medical screening and stabilization services. It also refers to instances when a hospital transfers an individual to another hospital after discovering that the individual does not have insurance or a means to pay for treatment.

To correct that wrong and in an effort to ensure that individuals received needed emergency care, in 1986 Congress enacted EMTALA, which was designed to protect all individuals seeking evaluation or treatment at hospital emergency departments that participate in Medicare.
Continue Reading Patient Dumping and the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)