WASHINGTON, DC— In response to yesterday’s rescission of the July 2022 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and pregnant patients, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) reiterates its unwavering commitment to the principles and obligations outlined in this longstanding federal law.

For close to 40 years, EMTALA has served as the bedrock guarantee that anyone who seeks emergency care will receive stabilizing treatment, regardless of insurance status, ability to pay, or other circumstances. Regardless of variances in the regulatory landscape from one administration to another, emergency physicians remain committed not just by law, but by their professional oath, to provide this care.

"Emergency physicians are on the frontlines making difficult, time-sensitive decisions to save lives,” said Alison Haddock, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP. “EMTALA ensures that we can provide stabilizing care to any patient who needs it, including pregnant patients experiencing medical emergencies, and it’s more important than ever that we have its backing for our evidence-based medical decisions.”

ACEP urges policymakers and federal officials to continue to uphold and enforce EMTALA in a manner that protects patients and supports the clinical judgment and autonomy of emergency physicians.

"In every emergency department across the country, we will continue to do what we have always done: provide the care necessary to stabilize our patients," said Dr. Haddock. "That commitment is not optional—it is the law. All emergency physicians must be able to provide the highest quality medical care to pregnant patients without fear of legal consequences."