1) The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) was legally enacted to prevent hospitals from refusing care for those that cannot pay. This law applies when an individual has an emergency, and requests treatment for the emergency.
Even with this act providing treatment regardless of ability to pay, there is a question to be raised regarding adequate treatment for the appropriate situation. Not all that present to a emergency departments have emergencies.
What can be implemented to eliminate the strain and costs associated with emergency departments and also provide care regardless of ability to pay?
2) Healthcare Anti Trust Laws
Memorial Hospital, a hospital in Bordertown, Iowa, has an agreement withCareco, a managed care organization with plan members in the states of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, to provide medical care to its members. A condition of Memorial's agreement with Careco states that Careco cannot contract with other hospitals in the Bordertown, Iowa, area. The contract is for one year, and either party may terminate the contract for any reason (with a 60-day notice period).
What could these two organizations set up that could have avoided any antitrust issues and maintained a high level of patient care for all patients?