[Mamzelle]

Depending on the state, there are few laws requiring an ER. Think about how you'd write such a law. There are laws defining what the hospital must provide if they are to be a high-Trauma hospital, and how the ER must be run. But if this hospital can close down an ER and keep the rest of the hospital open...the laws you describe must be easy to circumvent.

The ER is a convenience for admitting patients--one advantage of having an ER.

The real reason there are as many ERs still operating is one you'd likely disbelieve. It is tradition, part of the mission of a hospital to provide emergency care to a community. But when the community will not compensate the hospital, when that community is quick to blame the ER for all the problems that come from the nature of such a service, when the community will not secure the facility from marauding thugs...it can be shut down. And they will continue to be shut down. Once enough hospitals lead the way, and break with tradition--other hospitals will follow suit.

[bill1952]

I don't see that here. I worked at Martin Memorial in Stuart, Florida and we were bound hand and foot by regulations, both Federal and State concerning the ER and free beds and patient care.

Now, Martin is a not for profit corporation, - though not a trauma facility like St. Marys - and so is bound by more Federal Laws than a private facility, and I believe, but do not know, that this is true in any State.

Now, I also cannot see how any private hospital that does not accept any Federal money can be forced to have an ER, and personally, I wouldn't even bother to have a public ER.

But hey, I don't know other State laws, anyway. 8^)

The fact that America's medical care is overwhelmed by illegals is a disgrace

[Tarheel]

But when the community will not compensate the hospital, when that community is quick to blame the ER for all the problems that come from the nature of such a service, when the community will not secure the facility from marauding thugs...it can be shut down.

Not only is the taxpayer picking up the cost of the ILLEGALS health care we are sacrificing our own health care. With more ERs shutting down for the reasons you mentioned, the rest of us are left with limited emergency care when we are hit by that drunk driver. If you were here in NC that drunk driver is frequently an ILLEGAL with no insurance who has had multiple previous DUI.