US supreme court appears divided after hearing arguments on emergency abortion care

Federal Emtala law has become focal point in heated debate over emergency abortions in states that ban procedure

For the second time in a month, the US supreme court on Wednesday heard arguments in a major abortion-rights case, the second to reach the justices since they overturned Roe v Wade two years ago.

Wednesday's case involves a 1986 federal law called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or Emtala, which requires hospitals that receive federal dollars to stabilize the health of patients who show up at their emergency rooms with medical emergencies. The Biden administration has sued the state of Idaho, arguing that its ban clashes with Emtala because Idaho only permits abortions in medical emergencies if a woman's life is at risk - a higher threshold than Emtala.