A patient comes to the emergency room complaining of stomach pains and without health insurance. What regulation requires the hospital to treat this patient?

The regulation that requires the hospital to treat a patient presenting with stomach pains, even if they do not have health insurance, is the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). This federal law mandates that hospitals provide emergency medical treatment to all patients, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

EMTALA was enacted to ensure that individuals seeking emergency care are not denied treatment based on their financial situation. It requires that any patient who arrives at an emergency department must be evaluated and stabilized before any other considerations, such as payment or insurance, are addressed. This act aims to prevent "patient dumping," where hospitals would refuse treatment to uninsured patients or transfer them to other facilities without appropriate treatment.

This is essential in emergency situations, where timely care can be critical to the patient’s health and well-being. By upholding this regulation, hospitals play a vital role in providing necessary medical care to those in urgent need, ensuring that everyone has access to emergency services.