CMS Reverses Emergency Abortion Guidance

The Trump administration has rescinded Biden-era guidance that required hospitals to provide emergency abortions when necessary to stabilize patients, even in states where abortion is banned. The 2022 guidance, based on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), clarified that federal law preempted state abortion bans to ensure lifesaving care for pregnant women in emergencies. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it will continue enforcing EMTALA but will not interpret it as mandating emergency abortion care in defiance of state law. This reversal has raised concerns among physicians and abortion rights advocates, who warn it could create confusion in hospitals and put women at greater risk during pregnancy complications. Anti-abortion groups have praised the move, arguing state laws already provide exceptions for life-threatening emergencies, while critics say the rollback undermines hospital obligations. The change occurs amid ongoing legal battles over state abortion bans and federal emergency care requirements.