Press Releases

Statement by CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on EMTALA Protections

“As the enforcement agency for the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), CMS has a responsibility to the women of this country who rely on the emergency medical care they receive at the hospital emergency department. This responsibility is not theoretical — CMS’ job is to investigate circumstances that have already led to some of the worst moments of women’s lives, when they did not receive the stabilizing treatment they needed in an emergency. Hospitals and doctors need certainty that they can follow clinical standards of care in order to take swift action in emergency situations.  I have personally spoken to women who were denied this essential health care, and their health suffered as a result. CMS will continue to enforce these protections, to the maximum extent permitted under federal law.”

###