AHA files amicus brief in Idaho EMTALA case

The AHA, joined by the Association of American Medical Colleges and America's Essential Hospitals, today filed a friend-of-the-court brief in Moyle v. United States in support of the federal government's challenge to an Idaho law that criminalizes the performance of certain emergency pregnancy terminations. In June, the United States Supreme Court dismissed the case saying the court should not have accepted it in the first place, returned it to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and restored the temporary stay on Idaho's law. At that time, AHA General Counsel Chad Golder said in a statement, "Caregivers must be able to exercise their professional judgment about a patient's care as federal law requires under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) without the fear of criminal prosecution. We continue to urge courts to protect clinicians as they seek to provide emergency care to their patients."

Today's amicus brief reemphasized that important theme, "Allowing prosecutors, courts, and juries to armchair quarterback these kinds of medical judgments-and impose criminal liability-will make emergency healthcare more challenging for providers.… This Court should protect emergency providers who exercise reasonable professional judgment and hold that [Idaho's law] is preempted because it criminalizes stabilizing emergency services required under EMTALA and the [Affordable Care Act]."

The AHA previously filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Idaho district court and in the United States Supreme Court.