WASHINGTON, Nov. 24-When senators debate health care, they usually speak in abstract terms about soaring health costs and the plight of the uninsured.
But just 20 feet from the Senate chamber is a young man who knows those problems all too well from personal experience. The man, Sergio A. Olaya, runs the Capitol elevators on which the senators ride. Whenever the Senate is in session, he is on duty.
Mr. Olaya, 21, is struggling with $255,000 of medical bills incurred by his mother before she died in April from an aggressive form of brain cancer.
His experience highlights the problems of the uninsured, from which members of Congress are usually insulated. The leading Democratic presidential candidates say all Americans should have coverage as good as what Congress has.
As a government employee, Mr. Olaya has health insurance. But his mother, like 47 million other Americans, was uninsured.
since 2000, the number of uninsured, as reported by the [color=#004276]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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
So are they looking for money over and above the estate? Because, frankly, it always chaps my butt to see wealthy people declared indigent because their kids were smart enough to snag their assets before putting them into the county home on the public teat - and they do.
He doesn't get to keep anything if she has an estate less than her bills. Inheritance isn't a right.
It would chap me, too, except that this is what we've come down to in America. That is, since those who work are taxed so viciously, since you will lose the real estate and personal property you think you own if you do not pay the taxes for them, it seems only fair that people should weasel out of debts any way they legally can. And Senators are not in any position to talk - you and I pay not only their six figure salaries but also the cost of their insurance.
America wa sold down the river long ago by Godless, country-less non-patriots who were interested only in what good they could do themselves, at the public expense. None of them care for America or her peoples. They care only for themselves.
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.
it could be different in different states but I hope he is not responsible for anyone but himself and his own dependents. I think the insurers ought to pay - I know, what a concept!
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.
All the more reason for major reforms, Id say.Hope that can happen after '08.
HM2VikingRN, RN
4,700 Posts
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.