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Is a wife responsible for husband's hospital bill?
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Posted by Melody (205.188.209.12) on August 08, 2002 at 01:34:52:
My husband and I are both on Social Security Disability. We live in Brooklyn, NY. Ten days ago my husband took celebrex, got deathly sick and was hospitalized. The only form I signed was the agreement to treatment that they put in front of my face in the emergency room. He was later admitted and spent 10 days in the hospital in isolation (because they thought he had menigitis). I finally convinced them it was an allergic reaction and they gave him benadryl. While he is on Social Security disability he won't be eligible for medicare until October of this year. He usually goes to the clinic at this hospital and he had his clinic card. He had signed up for a plan called HHC plus. They assured him that he would be covered if he was ever hospitalized. I remember this conversation. The guy told my husband he would be covered for in patient hospital treatment. Well, guess what, the hospital told him that HHC plus is only for the clinic and my husband has no insurance. We have been told that the bill is $23,000. Who on this earth has $23,000 to give a hospital? We are not eligible for medicaid(you have to have a combined income of almost $900 a month) to qualify for medicaid. They said if he does not pay it, they can sue me. I checked with an attorney and this is exactly what she said. "You are not responsible for paying your husband's hospital bill, he was the patient. However they can still put your name on the lawsuit because anybody can sue anybody. You will have to hire an attorney to respond to the lawsuit and your attorney will ask to have your name removed" I asked her:"You mean they can sue me even though they know that I'm not responsible" She said "Yup, that's the way it is". My husband and I do not share any credit cards. He has a lot of debt and will be filing bankruptcy shortly. I have fairly good credit, pay my bills and I can't afford to have a bad credit rating. Do you have any advice? In New York, is a wife responsible for her husband's medical bill? Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks. Melody
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