This stupid hospital keeps sending me bills after mom died. I called the hospital after getting the 2nd one and asked why they sent me a bill for $135. They said that the bill was $20,000. Mom's insurance paid most of it, but the $135 was her portion. Mom had excellent insurance, so why all these damn bills? I had a feeling that more bills were going to come, so I asked, how many more bills do they plan to send? They asked am I power of attorney and I said yes, so they told me the hospital bill they want to collect in total comes out to $7000. God that makes me sick. Before I was angry that they totally ignored a medical problem. Her right shoulder kept coming out of its socket which caused disability and extreme pain. That never got addressed, which prevented mom from doing physical therapy because she couldn't grab onto her walker and put weight on her arms. I wasn't going to sue, but now that they are sending me these bills, I think they have some damn nerve. Now I want to sue them, plus add unreasonable attorneys fees.
Feel Sick
- Thread starter TJ5
- Start date
Lauren1978
Greenlighter
If your mother passed away, most debts die when she did (all her credit cards and unsecured debt are discharged with her passing. You can send a copy of her death certificate if you are challenged).
If you are her estate executor AND if the hospital files a claim against her estate, you can work out a VERY easy payment plan if you want to (like $25 a month). These hospital letters are obnoxious, I know, but you need to remember this is manageable. It just comes at a shitty time.
My condolences.
Lauren1978
Greenlighter
A power of attorney is irrelevant once she passes on because powers of attorney expire at her death. So that was an ignorant question the hospital staff asked you. (I am certain of this, btw). Powers of attorney are what you give someone else to act on your behalf while you are alive because you think you'll be out of commission, (or out of the area). A durable power of attorney for Health Care ALSO expires at her death. If you think about it, that makes sense.
At the point of death, someone's Last Will & Testament comes into play for property matters if your mother had a Will, and if not, then the state laws for people without a Will, (called "intestate" laws) take effect. If she had no spouse, and no will, her children would be the beneficiaries in most states.
I don't want to give you formal legal advice here, but If the bills are in your mother's name, I would not rush to pay them.