Can a hospital refuse to treat you if you cannot pay the balance of your bill?

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), or Patient Anti-Dumping Act, requires hospitals that except federal funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to treat all seeking care from a hospital's emergency department in all states and territories of the United States. Hospitals can be fined $50,000 per violation. Hospitals with less than 100 beds can be fined $25,000 per violation.