NURSING HOME BILL

MY MOTHER WAS IN NURSEING HOME FOR 30 DAYS MEDC. PAID 80 PER CENT EACH DAY SHE PAID 20PER SENT, I WAS ON HER CHECKING ACC. AND I PAID AROUND 1200.00 THAT SHE OWED-THEN THEY SAID SHE OWED 1800.00 MORE. SHE HAD NO MORE MONEY TO GIVE THEM. SHE DIED IN THE NURSEING HOME THERE IS NO MONEY SHE DID NOT LEAVE AN ESATE. NOW NURSING SAYS THAT I OWE THEN 1800.00 FOR HER, THEY TELL ME THEY ARE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO A COLECTION COM. I DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY I LIVE ON SOC. AND SO DOES MY HUSBAND. WHAT CAN I DO?MARY LUNDAY---STATE IS TEXAS

[JETX]

First and foremost, I am sorry to hear about your loss. I know that this is a very trying and emotional time for you.

As for the issues you brought up:
Are you listed on the agreement as a 'responsible party' for payment?? If so, and the estate is not able to pay, then you are responsible for any ACCURATE outstanding unpaid amounts.

In the event that you are NOT listed as a 'responsible party', then your mothers estate is responsible for payment of any outstanding unpaid amounts. And, yes, there is an estate, it may be without assets, but it still exists (the fact that she had a checking account shows that an estate did very probably exist).

In any case, be sure to check (and double-check) the nursing home billing. Re-read your agreement to see what obligations you (or the estate) might have in the event of death while resident. Make sure that you are paying ONLY for the services (and medications if included) that were supplied. One of 'their' favorite ploys is to charge her account for full boxes or bottles of 'supplies' or medicines (example: charge for full bottle of aspirin and only give a few). Cross-check all the billed medications with the actual prescriptions that she had, and make sure that you get everything you pay for (they commonly take the left-over items, pills, etc. and 're-issue' them to other patients).

Best of luck to you.