[CRNA2007]

What you are missing is the fact they are doing nothing illegal. While I don't agree with giving away all of your assets to forgo your debt, they are following the "rules" that are made up by people in Washington. The very ones who bemoan the rich but set up sweetheart rules like this and then complain when someone takes advantage of them.

Originally Posted by oramar

Couple of things. I think it is the honorable thing to do to take responsibility for debts. However, years ago I worked on a heart transplant unit and a couple of the well to do patients confided in me that they had hid their assest inorder to have the state pay for their transplant. That blistered my butt because I knew other's were hocking everything they owned to pay for their loved ones transplant. I think the laws have since been adjusted and it is harder to pull that trick. If you want to see every crooked trick in the book just watch what the wealthy do. As for that kid being responsible for his mother's hospital bills. $350,000 means a life of indebtedness and servitude for the kid if he is responsible for them. His life is over before it has started.

[Medic04]

I do not think he is responsible UNLESS
1.
He co signed her into the hospital and it states on there, if the signer cannot pay as witness the "other" will. Then he should pay.
That is why my husband NEVER signs when I go in the hospital.
2. If she has a house then he needs to sell it and pay them.
3. get a lawyer to see what can be done

[HM2Viking]

Since 2000, the number of uninsured, as reported by the Census Bureau, has increased by 8.6 million, or 22 percent. Some private studies suggest that one in three Americans under the age of 65 may have been uninsured at some time in the last two years.
“The truth is, almost every family is at risk because of a fraying health care safety net,” Mr. Durbin said. “Almost all of us could be one pink slip, one election, one bad diagnosis or one serious accident away from a health and economic disaster. This affects Sergio, a member of our Senate family. It affects all families.”

The real message of this article was that this was a woman who worked her entire life and was insured for most of the past 20 years. She fell through the cracks while in transition between jobs. Even with the sale of her home it sounds like he is going to be left with a pile of bills.

One solution for situations similar to this would be to allow children to carry their non-medicare eligible parents as dependents for the purpose of health insurance. This is neither a conservative or liberal issue. It is an American issue.

[CRNA2007]

We don't know for sure if her estate will cover all the bills or not that is an assumption you are making. Given the NY Times attempts at sensational journalism I wouldn't be surprised if he owes them anything once the estate is settled. the NY Times has become an agenda driven media outlet for left wing causes for several years now and I will wait and see what the bloggers find out about this situation.

Originally Posted by HM2Viking

The real message of this article was that this was a woman who worked her entire lie and was insured for most of the past 20 years. She fell through the cracks while in transition between jobs. Even with the sale of her home it sounds like he is going to be left with a pile of bills.

One solution for situations similar to this would be to allow children to carry their non-medicare eligible parents as dependents for the purpose of health insurance. This is neither a conservative or liberal issue. It is an American issue.

[lamazeteacher]

Your usual inclusion of the resources that helped you form your opinion, were most welcome. The real shame about the story, however, is that the concept that family members are responsible for medical debts following the demise of a relative, is untrue.
I'll look for proof of that.

[Suesquatch]

Originally Posted by HM2Viking

Even with the sale of her home it sounds like he is going to be left with a pile of bills.

Under what law?!

[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Originally Posted by lindarn

My educated guess, is that his mother has no estate. I also don't think that he is responsible to repay his mother' s medical bills. Unless he had power of attorney over her, and was a joint owner on her bank account.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

Considering her diagnosis and condition, that was probably the case.

[lamazeteacher]

I looked up a legal website, that said children are not responsible for their parents unpaid medical debts, unless they sign something accepting responsibility for them. I know he'll get a zillion calls dunning him for them, but he musn't accept responsibility.
It's surprising that none of the senators told him that!

[HM2Viking]

This whole incident drives home the following point:

• Half of all bankruptcies are caused by medical bills. Three-fourths of those bankrupted had health insurance at the time they got sick or injured.
  (“Illness and Injury as Contributors to Bankruptcy,” Himmelstein et al, Health Affairs Web Exclusive, February 2, 2005.)

http://www.pnhp.org/single_payer_res...th_program.php accessed today.

[Kyrshamarks]

Originally Posted by lindarn

My educated guess, is that his mother has no estate. I also don't think that he is responsible to repay his mother' s medical bills. Unless he had power of attorney over her, and was a joint owner on her bank account.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

Even if he had a power of attorney over her and was a joint bank account holder with her, he is not responsible for her debts. the power of attorney ends immediately upon her death and with the death certificate he gets all monies in the bank account. My brother is an attorney and we have set up this type of situation for my mother with me.