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From Fox News, Elderly couple found dead in apparent murder-suicide, note says they could not afford medical care:
A Washington state man allegedly killed himself after killing his wife, and left a note for authorities saying that he was driven to do so because they could not afford to pay for medical care for her serious health conditions.
The man, identified by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner Gary Goldfogel in a statement to Fox News as Brian S. Jones, was 77, and his wife, Patricia Whitney-Jones, was 76.
[...] "It's very tragic that one of our senior citizens would find himself in such desperate circumstances where he felt murder and suicide were the only option," [Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo] said. "Help is always available with a call to 9-1-1."
"We do what we can to help them," Elfo added in a telephone interview with Fox News. "We can't solve all their healthcare needs, but we can help them until a better day comes."
Elfo said he has seen people close to him struggle with healthcare issues and get exasperated fighting what can be a bureaucratic system.
"I know it gets very frustrating," the sheriff said, "you can get very easily worn down, and [roadblocks] build up over and over again."
From WSWS (ICFI/SEP), Elderly husband kills wife, then himself, in desperation over skyrocketing healthcare costs:
Police found the notes, which explained what had happened. Jones' wife, Patricia Whitney-Jones, suffered from serious health problems, and the couple could not afford medical care. Jones, an apparent Navy veteran, wrote directions as to how police could contact their next of kin. Police found the couple's two dogs and turned them over to the Humane Society.
The home was not located in a forgotten, impoverished area but in a semi-rural neighborhood near the Cascade Mountains where homes are valued in the $400,000 range. The bottom 90 percent of people in "the richest country in the world" are living under financial hardship that varies only in terms of degree.
[...] [The couple's next-door neighbor, Sherrie Schulteis] further noted:
"But here is the horribleness of this whole thing, less than 6 months ago our across the street neighbor shot himself, a young man with PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder], cops and SWAT all lined our street then too. He was young--in his 50's-- and this guy and the whole block knew and saw him riding his bike, or walking his tiny dog also. He lived directly across from our house and we talked with him everyday as we were outside a lot. We had no idea his PTSD would kick in and he started believing everyone was someone else and he was going to kill everyone."
Also at People and The Lynden Tribune (EU blocked)
(Score: 3, Informative) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday August 13 2019, @01:33PM (1 child)
This usually results in a reversion of the estate to the hospital. Instead of the kids inheriting the house and land, the hospital gets it.
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Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 14 2019, @06:18AM
I'm a probate attorney and seen this a bunch. Best case scenario is that the hospital, insurance, or medicaid recovery takes a loss against the estate. That way they cover the money they are out without getting all the bad PR that comes with it. If not, between the hospital and the insurance, they will take whatever is left after the estate liquidates and the home has a fire sale. Worst case scenario that I have seen too many times is that the creditor will send the family confusing paperwork that heavily insinuates, if not outright states, that they owe the debt. In many cases like that when there are huge debts and the major creditor does dirty trick like that, I just suggest the family member send death certificates to the appropriate people, decline appointment as executor, and make sure nobody robs their parent's place before they get notice that an executor is named. What is the point of going through all the trouble when you aren't going to see anything out of it other than a major headache?
Also, NEVER, EVER name yourself or your estate as a beneficiary of any life insurance policy. Either directly name your future heirs or use an ILIT because there is no benefit to naming yourself or your estate.