Can hospital come after significant other?

[kfowler57]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida. My boyfriend and i recently moved to FL and bought a house together. One week after taking possession, before he could start his new job, he had a heart attack, so he didn't have insurance. He's been released and has tried to talk to the hospital about setting up a payment plan and apply for financial assistance. They told him that not only would they need his financial information, they would need mine. Right now they only have my name and our address, and I haven't signed anything saying I'd pay his bills or give them access to my personal info. Can they force me to give them this information or try to hold me responsible? What happens to him if I refuse to cooperate?

 

[justalayman]

they can't force you to provide anything. Unless you agree to it, you are not liable for the debt.


what they can do is refuse to reconsider his debt and possibly write off some of it for charitable reasons. They do not prefer to give charity to a person that claims poverty yet lives with somebody making a million dollars a year. (an exaggeration for effect). The patient, although has no legal claim to their partners money, does benefit from it.

You have to realize; financial assistance (charitable aid) is discretionary on their part. They are not obligated to accept anything less than the total amount owed. If they require your financial records to consider providing such assistance, then they can.

 

[swalsh411]

No of course they cannot "force" you to provide anything. Nor can they hold you responsible for the bill unless you signed yourself as a reponsible party when he was admitted. You're legally speaking a stranger to him.

 

[ecmst12]

Providing your financial information so that they can evaluate his eligibility for assistance is not the same as agreeing to be responsible for the bills. They need to review the household income that your income is part of. But it won't obligate you to anything, only signing papers agreeing to pay the bills would do that.

Do be aware that if assistance is not granted and he doesn't pay the bill, they could eventually put a lein on the house since his name is on it. It is in your interest to cooperate with the assistance application process.