Dead person getting medical bills
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52208)
Staten Island, New York
January 9, 2023 12:39pm CST
After my dad had passed away (in the hospital) he kept getting bills in the mail for his time at the hospital—the ambulance, doctors that saw him while he was at the hospital, tests that were done, hospital stay... All billed to him. Did they expect him to wake up from the grave and write them checks for thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars? Why send medical bills to a dead person?
7 people like this
4 responses
@lovebuglena (52208)
• Staten Island, New York
11 Jan 23
What spouse is going to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills?
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52208)
• Staten Island, New York
11 Jan 23
@porwest The debts should die with the deceased. 
1 person likes this
@porwest (112929)
• United States
11 Jan 23
@lovebuglena It's the law. Not only does a surviving spouse inherit any money like pensions and what not, they also inherit the debts.
@kaylachan (84867)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
9 Jan 23
Because sadly, everyone needs paid. The next of kin becomes responsible for the bills when the person passes. Hospitals won't typically write it off, if there's no surviving family. My sister-in-law says it can take up to a year for them to stop, because once a person passes, insurance doesn't see a reason to prioritize.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52208)
• Staten Island, New York
10 Jan 23
With medical bills through the roof these days next of kin being responsible for those bills is crazy!
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (84867)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
11 Jan 23
@lovebuglena Yes, I know! But, sadly, hospitals still need to be paid, regardless if their patient survived or not. And, I see why, but at the same time, I agree, it's crazy.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52208)
• Staten Island, New York
11 Jan 23
@kaylachan And a spouse (or next of kin) can't necessarily afford to pay those bills. Like if a hospital sends a bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars, a person can't just write them a check for that amount of money.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98106)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Jan 23
I hope that you can get it straightened out and they stop sending the bills,
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52208)
• Staten Island, New York
11 Jan 23
Gonna have to ask my mom if bills are still coming.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222806)
• United States
10 Jan 23
The bills need to get paid; and the surviving family members are the ones to pay the bills. That's what we did when my MIL and FIL passed away.
@lovebuglena (52208)
• Staten Island, New York
10 Jan 23
I doubt that people pay all the medical bills of a loved one that passed away. They’d be broke. Crazy that family members are responsible for that. What if they can’t afford to pay?
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222806)
• United States
10 Jan 23
@lovebuglena We paid from my MIL's and FIL's checking account. Those in charge of the estate should pay the bills.
1 person likes this
