the international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families states that migrant workers and family members should be able to receive any medical care that is urgently required for the preservation of their life or the avoidance of irreparable harm to their health regardless of any irregularity with regard to stay or employment art in practice however the services that municipalities and cantons offer vary widely in poland medical rescue teams provide emergency care free of charge but hospital emergency departments do not necessarily do so because no legislation establishes who will bear the costs liability to pay the full or partial cost of medical care can also block access to emergency medical care in the united states the emergency medical treatment and labor act requires hospitals to screen and stabilize all individuals including irregular migrants who seek care in an emergency room regardless of their ability to pay vulnerable groups including children the elderly and pregnant women require unrestricted access to emergency health services