The short answer to your question about paying your medical bills is, “Probably not.”
The complete answer is slightly more complicated. Let us look at two situations where a person can assume liability for another’s debts.
Two Hypotheticals: Creating Liability for Medical Debt
First, let us say Person A is ill, and Person B brings A to the emergency room. While A is in ER triage, a hospital employee gives B a guarantor contract, which B signs. A guarantor contract says, in effect, “I will pay the medical bill if the patient doesn’t.” In this situation, B is obligated to pay A’s medical bills if A refuses to or is unable to.
Second, let us say Person C has not paid their medical bills, and is about to be sued by a medical service provider. Person D learns of C’s issue, and contacts the provider. D promises the medical provider he or she will pay the bill if the provider promises to drop the lawsuit. In this situation, D has liability to pay that provider because the provider asked for a dismissal of its case in reliance on a promise made by D.
Your Facts
Here, you did not mention any promise you made to any medical provider to pay your sister’s medical bills. Absent a promise to pay, your paying part of one of your sister’s medical providers, or even all of one provider’s bill, does not create a legal obligation to pay more. You may find a creative and unscrupulous medical bill collector will tell you that your paying part of your sister’s bill creates an obligation on your part. If someone makes that claim, laugh and tell them they are full of nonsense.
I hope this information helps you Find. Learn & Save.
Best,
Bill
