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I know you were having trouble so I decided to go ahead and give you a clue. It is known commonly as "EMTALA" or the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act.

What it requires every hospital to do (assuming they recieve Medicaid funds) is at the minimum to screen a patient and have a doctor do an evaluation before telling them to go see a doctor or recieve treatment. Most hospitals are too frightened by the prospect of losing federal dollars and generally treat anyone who walks in the door.

Some, like Milwaukee decided that they would use a referral system, if it was non life threatening and the patient was "stable" they would be given even transportation to a regular doctors office. Many hospitals in the Milwaukee system however are ignoring that decision and treating them. To bring it back, many uninsured, including ILLEGAL immigrants are using it as a health care system.

I know you were having trouble so I decided to go ahead and give you a clue. It is known commonly as "EMTALA" or the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act.

Thanks and I am always in need of a clue. I did not know the name of the statute, but it (and your post) reaffirms what I said earlier..., all they are required to do is determine whether the condition is life threatening (I think the term is "critical" but I could be wrong). If no, you can bounce them. No care, no script, nada.

As an aside, I just spent a weekend with one of my best friends who recently spent 4 years in residency in ER medicine and is now on staff at George Washington U hospital in charge of training ER physicians. We both have a real interest in evaluating the satus of health care in the US, especially since the poor (not just the illegals) here have been TAUGHT to use the ER as primary care. The only way to fix this is to bounce 'em and TRY to charge for the "screen." Word gets out that you can't do it that way.

If Oklahoma, or Saskatchewan, or Ougadouga decides that it is "compassionate" to give away free care, it is silly to bitch when people use it.