Not in an emergency. Federal law requires hospital emergency departments to screen and stabilize anyone regardless of ability to pay or past debt. For non-emergency, scheduled care, a provider can decline to see you over an unpaid balance — but emergency care cannot be withheld.
There is an important split between emergency and non-emergency care. Under the federal EMTALA law, a hospital with an emergency department must provide a medical screening and stabilize an emergency condition for anyone who comes in, no matter what they owe or whether they can pay. For elective or scheduled non-emergency care, a provider generally can refuse to schedule you while a balance is unpaid. So an old bill can affect future routine appointments, but it cannot be used to turn you away from an emergency room.
No. Under EMTALA, an emergency department must screen and stabilize you regardless of unpaid bills or ability to pay.
For non-emergency care, often yes. A payment plan, financial assistance, or disputing errors on the old bill can help restore access.
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