Fair Payment for Emergency Department Services

Originally approved by the ACEP Board of Directors April 2009 

Emergency physicians provide emergency medical services without regard for the patient’s insurance status or ability to pay, consistent with our mission and with our obligation under EMTALA. Emergency physicians face unique financial challenges in meeting this mission. Even with health care reform, emergency physicians play an important role in the health care safety net and will continue to provide essential health care services to a disproportionate share of the remaining uninsured and under-insured population in the United States. Fair payment for emergency care services, whether government funded or commercially insured, must be sufficient to preserve the nation’s fragile emergency care safety net, and ensure that patients have continued access to all qualified emergency care providers.