Page "Comparison of the health care systems in Canada and the United States" Paragraph 21

In the U. S., the federal government does not guarantee universal health care to all its citizens, but publicly funded health care programs help to provide for the elderly, disabled, the poor, and children.

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act or EMTALA also ensures public access to emergency services.

The EMTALA law forces emergency health care providers to stabilize an emergency health crisis and cannot withhold treatment for lack of evidence of insurance coverage or other evidence of the ability to pay.

EMTALA does not absolve the person receiving emergency care of the obligation to meet the cost of emergency health care not paid for at the time and it is still within the right of the hospital to pursue any debtor for the cost of emergency health care provided.

In Canada, emergency room treatment for legal Canadian residents is not charged to the patient at time of service but is met by the government.