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Health Care Proxy Ny

Posted in Uncategorized | August 27th, 2011

Who is responsible for a deceased person’s medical bills in NY?

My “aunt” (close family friend, but not a real blood relative) had no spouse or children, only some siblings and nieces and nephews. I was her health care proxy and representative during the years that she was alive. I took care of making her medical arrangements and managing her finances while she was in and out of hospitals and nursing homes during the last few years. She is now deceased, with no money left and the bills from the doctors and nursing home are now coming to me. They sound very ominous and are threatening that my credit will be ruined if I do not pay these bills. I am not even a blood relative. Can I be held responsible for this and what should I do with these bills?
There is no estate and no executor. She owned no property and when she passed and the funeral expenses were paid for, there was only $45 dollars left in her account.

the estate is reponsible.

there is always an estate – it is a legal concept.

talk to a lawyer who specializes in estates, they are everywhere. s/he will advise you on how to have the bills redirected to the proper place, and if the estate is broke, then the creditors will just have to deal with that. c’est la vie, it is the risk of doing business.