Oversight & ethics enforcementHealth & social services

Federal regulators cited a Missouri and a Kansas hospital for failing to give a miscarrying woman stabilizing emergency care under EMTALA

Confidence: Confirmed · 4 sourcesMissouri · Oct 12, 2026

Subject of this story

Freeman Health System (Freeman Hospital West)

University of Kansas Health System (University of Kansas Hospital Authority)

Also named

Oversight

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

What happened

Mylissa Farmer went to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Missouri, on August 2, 2022, after her water broke at nearly 18 weeks of pregnancy. Her doctor recommended an abortion because of risks of infection and hemorrhage, but the hospital did not provide one, citing Missouri's abortion ban. She was then turned away by the University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, Kansas, and obtained an abortion in Illinois on August 5. On April 10, 2023, CMS issued Statements of Deficiencies (Form CMS-2567) against both hospitals citing noncompliance with EMTALA's requirement to stabilize patients with emergency conditions. Freeman did not respond to requests for comment and KU declined to comment, per press reports.

Sources (4)

CMS Statement of Deficiencies (Form CMS-2567), Freeman Hospital West, hosted by National Women's Law CenterCMS Form 2567, dated 4-10-23, citing Freeman Hospital West for EMTALA noncompliance in its treatment of patient Mylissa Farmer.

CMS Statement of Deficiencies (Form CMS-2567), University of Kansas Health System, hosted by National Women's Law CenterCMS Form 2567, dated 4-10-23, citing University of Kansas Health System for EMTALA noncompliance in its treatment of patient Mylissa Farmer.

Missouri IndependentTwo hospitals ... denied emergency care to a pregnant Missouri woman in violation of federal law ... findings were included in a report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

KFF Health NewsHospital investigated for allegedly denying an emergency abortion after patient's water broke.

Response

Freeman Health System (Freeman Hospital West)

No response by publication

Contacted — no response by publication.

University of Kansas Health System (University of Kansas Hospital Authority)

Declined to comment

Contacted — no response by publication.

What happened next (0)

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