BOISE, Idaho — The U.S. Department of Justice has sued the state of Idaho in an attempt to block its forthcoming abortion ban.
Idaho’s abortion trigger law — which is set to take effect this month — violates a federal law that requires hospitals receiving Medicare funding to “provide necessary stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing a medical emergency, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in Idaho’s federal court Tuesday.
“If a patient comes into the emergency room with a medical emergency jeopardizing the patient’s life or health, the hospital must provide the treatment necessary to stabilize that patient,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said during a news conference Tuesday. “This includes abortion, if that is the necessary treatment.”
