Ordinarily, a plaintiff is entitled to recover only the lesser of the amount he or his insurer paid for past medical expenses or the reasonable value of the medical services provided to him. However, to subsidize hospital emergency room care, the Legislature enacted Civ. Code 3045.1, which allows hospitals to collect from third party tortfeasors the difference between their negotiated rates with insurance companies and the reasonable value of their services for “emergency and ongoing medical or other services.” This decision holds that “emergency services” are those required by a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in any of the following: (1) Placing the patient’s health in serious jeopardy. (2) Serious impairment to bodily functions. (3) Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. And “ongoing medical or other services” means treatment in the hospital or a nursing home or other affiliated entity until the patient is discharged. Evidence of reasonable value of past medical services is admissible only to the extent it proves a value equal to or less than the amount the plaintiff or his insurer paid or concerns emergency services to which section 3045.1 applies.