answer:The ER is obligated to check you out if you sign in as a patient because of possible litigation in the future. There is a possibility that although you may be in there for a non-emergency type of problem that there is an underlying cause to your ailment which is, in fact, an emergency. And of course there is the EMTALA which states The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)[1] is an act of the United States Congress, passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). It requires hospitals to provide emergency health care treatment to anyone needing it regardless of citizenship, legal status, or ability to pay. There are no reimbursement provisions. EMTALA applies to “participating hospitals.” The statute defines “participating hospitals” as those that accept payment from the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the Medicare program.[2] “Because there are very few hospitals that do not accept Medicare, the law applies to nearly all hospitals.” The 911 operator has a list of what is and is not an emergency.