Just a vent

skeets

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BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
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SW Pa
So today I get the mail, and there is a bill from the hospital for my wife, for treatment back in March of 2018. This would have been a co pay, and I had no problems paying her bills,, but 39 months late? And they want it now. SO do I pay it tell them to stick it or what? I thought this stuff was over after she passed away,, I guess not, nothing like picking open old wounds
 

Porcupine

Active member

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L2501
Jun 15, 2021
125
153
43
NC
I’m sorry for your loss, and for the frustration.

If you’re up to it, call the billing department, explain the situation and request they waive the bill. There is a fair chance they will.
 

Tughill Tom

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B3200
Dec 23, 2013
1,102
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Turin, NY
I'd tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine! Also tell them the her estate/ affairs has been settled.
 
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bird dogger

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Feb 24, 2019
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I'd tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine! Also tell them the her estate/ affairs has been settled.
That's an excellent point! As my mother's executer, I was required to send out and publish "notice to creditor's" and they had a timely obligation to respond for payment. Once the estate was settled and approved by the courts it was all supposedly over with? Would guess it's the same in most states.
 

Nicfin36

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Jun 19, 2019
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Skeets, sorry for your loss.

My 2 cents...throw it in the garbage and don't worry about it. I truly believe hospitals send bills out like this all the time in hopes people send them money.
 

NCL4701

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Apr 27, 2020
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Sorry for your loss.

I don’t know the law in PA. Unless it’s some piddling amount you’d rather pay to avoid the hassle I would check with an estate attorney, preferably the one involved in settling the estate if there was one involved, to determine if you have any legal obligation. In some states (NC being one of them) the time limit for them to pursue debts of a decedent has passed.

If you don’t have an attorney you can ask without spending a few hundred dollars on a consultation fee, the PA State Attorney General office is a decent place to start. If the debt is being pursued illegally, lodging a complaint with the AG’s office (or whatever regulatory authority they point you to) may be a more reasonable response than writing a check, it’s free, and it’s likely to get the attention of whoever in the hospital’s billing department thought it appropriate to send you a bill 39 months late. Just a suggestion…
 

bird dogger

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Skeets, here's a link to one PA attorney's website with info on the statute of limitation for debt collection after death:
The Importance of Creditor Deadlines (scaringilaw.com)
According to them the timeframe is 1 year. Maybe that bill was computer generated? Doing like NCL suggested above....while armed with the final settlement documents will give you quick end to this issue.
Sorry for your loss and these unnecessary troubles!!

We had an aunt (actually a half/sister of my father) that thought she could bully her way into and ahead of us children for a major portion of my deceased dad's meager estate when my mother passed. She went off the deep end and lied to and hired an attorney. I fought him off a few years myself by trying to reason with her and him but her lies got worse and worse. Finally, I retained a lawyer and when the truth started to surface, she'd switch attorneys until she ran out of them. Her last attorney convinced her to drop her stupid lawsuit the day before we were meet with the district judge for pretrial investigations. What a headache!
 
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BAP

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Skeet’s, any of the Brothers in your lodge or surrounding lodges lawyers that you can ask for some advice?
 

Porcupine

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L2501
Jun 15, 2021
125
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NC
Whatever route you choose-Just call and ask for relief first.

I don’t know if they’re entitled to it, but even if they are most hospitals have a staff that spends a fair bit of thier time forgiving medical bills.

Don’t presume it’s got to be confrontational until it is. Odds are good all you’ll need to do is ask,
 
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BlakeneyBMF

New member
Jun 14, 2021
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Mobile al
So today I get the mail, and there is a bill from the hospital for my wife, for treatment back in March of 2018. This would have been a co pay, and I had no problems paying her bills,, but 39 months late? And they want it now. SO do I pay it tell them to stick it or what? I thought this stuff was over after she passed away,, I guess not, nothing like picking open old wounds
My condolences I couldn’t even put into perspective what you’ve been through. I can only think the reason why the hospital hasn’t turned it over to collections in 39 months yet is due to the passing of your wife so they come after you. Just do not give them any information like SSN then it will reflect on you. But if you were the primary insurance holder it may be sent to your collections eventually then if so you would only have to dispute it asking for proof of your signature on any of the hospitals paperwork. To sum it up I wouldn’t pay a dime of it you’ve been through enough as is. My prayers go out to you Sir