The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide all necessary stabilizing treatments to patients who present to their emergency rooms.
In March 2024, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan joined 257 congressional Democrats in an amicus brief in support of the district court decision requiring Medicare-participating hospitals to provide abortion care when it is necessary as an emergency medical treatment.
Last week, McClellan, who represents Virginia’s District 4, issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court‘s formally released decision on Moyle v. United States.
“The Supreme Court’s dismissal of this case is a relief for patients in Idaho, but falls short of what Americans deserve: an outright rejection of attacks on EMTALA. The conservative Justices on the Court failed to affirm patients’ right to comprehensive emergency medical care. We must remain vigilant for future attempts to undermine health care access,” McClellan said.
The Supreme Court decision came last week just days after the 2nd anniversary of the court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“We must remain focused on safeguarding reproductive health care nationwide. For millions of Americans across the country, access to emergency abortions remains in jeopardy,” McClellan, a member of the House Pro-Choice Caucus and the Democratic Women’s Caucus, said.
“I will continue working with my colleagues to restore Roe, protect access to the full scope of reproductive health care services, and fight back against extreme attacks on reproductive freedom.”