Appearing in The New York Times on September 27, 2024, Ann Carrns interviews NCLC staff attorney Anna Anderson for coverage of how surviving spouses may not be responsible for their loved ones unpaid medical bills. Rules governing such debt vary by state and can be complex.
Even when survivors aren’t legally responsible for paying a medical debt, emotions can sway them, Ms. Anderson said. They may be grateful to the hospital and doctors who cared for their loved one and feel an obligation to pay. “There’s definitely a feeling of, ‘I am morally responsible and need to pay it,’” she said, even if the surviving spouse may struggle to afford it.
Anna Anderson, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center
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