What if I have a medical emergency, and I can’t pay?

Can’t pay? Don’t have insurance, or TennCare or Medicare? You still have a legal right to get hospital care for an emergency or childbirth. It’s against the law to turn you away because you can’t pay.

This does not mean the care is free.

You may have to agree to pay later.

What is an emergency?

It’s when you will get a lot worse in a very serious way without treatment.

What about childbirth?

Are you in active labor and about to have a baby? The hospital must help with the labor and delivery.

Are there medical reasons why the hospital can’t deliver your baby? Then they must have you SAFELY moved to a hospital that can deliver your baby. But they can’t turn you away just because you can’t pay.

For more information about emergency hospital care, see the Legal Aid Society’s flyer.