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Tluther Asked October 2019

Getting to the point of no return. Trying to figure out next steps. What is my first step?

My mother is 84. She lives in an apartment in our home for which she pays $600. That covers meals, transportation and utilities. I just found out she is $7k in debt to various credit card companies and can’t meet her minimum payments. I don’t mind chatting with these companies and explaining that they are going to close her account and cap it off with no further penalty or she will file bankruptcy. She has no other assets. She’s also paying $279 a month for a Medicare supplement that she’s barely used. Had cataracts and a broken foot in the 5 years she has paid for this insurance. Sees her family doctor twice yearly and takes minimal meds. I wonder if this plan is worthwhile for her? At any rate; what is my first step since it appears I’m going to have to take the reins here and get her back on the road.

AlvaDeer Oct 2019
Is Mom still mentally capable? Are you her POA? I think you cannot act on her debt without that. Are you managing her finances now?
I am on Kaiser and my supplemental is under 125.00 a month. I do pay 30.00 copay for MD visits, and a copay on drugs. I never see a bill, which is the best part of it, which I now know after dealing with dozens of doctors, hospitals, labs and image companies after my brother's accident last February, and his subsequent rehab. I am so thankful to take in my 30.00, see the doc, and be free of it all. I know it isn't everywhere, but I sure recommend exploring plans with them if you can access. More than the savings is the not dealing with even seeing medicare or supplemental bills and payments, or a doc bill of any kind.
Is this old debt? What is Mom spending her money on. Hope you can get a handle on the financial for her.
Tluther Oct 2019
I am not her POA; so I guess that is step one to become her POA. She got befriended by an insurance agent who has sold her the cadillac of supplement plans when I think she needs a Hyuandai. Yes she could come down with something awful in a few weeks, years, days, but she also couldn't. My brain is overloaded with my job, my handicapped son, my dog with cancer so I guess I resent now having to dig my mom out of her financial hole. This is debt she has accumulated in about 2 or 3 years. My sister got her bills all paid off about that long ago; so I know this is new. She buys shoes, clothes, orders all kinds of junk food from Walmart, new furniture for her apartment; anything that is not helpful to the household.
Ahmijoy Oct 2019
Get a bankruptcy attorney and have them figure out what you need to do. Her health insurance doesn’t figure into this. The bankruptcy attorney needs to contact her creditors and inform them that she is filing for bankruptcy.

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freqflyer Oct 2019
Tluther, I would advise never drop one's supplemental insurance. You never know next month what health issues your Mom may developed.

My Dad, when he was just a couple years older then your Mom, out of the blue he had a heart attack. And for myself, also a senior citizen, I was blind sided by cancer which had no markers meaning not related to any family history.
Tluther Oct 2019
I think that $300 a month for a supplement policy is insane. There has to be something less expensive out there that covers what little medical needs she has. I did the math....she has paid over $15k to this plan and her out of pocket expenses in that time period would have been less than $5k.

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