By Kelly Greene
Twenty-nine states have “filial support” laws on the books that could be used to go after patient’s families for unpaid long-term-care bills.
We described one case in Pennsylvania, the main state where health-care providers have started using such a law, in last weekend’s Family Value column, “Are You on the Hook for Mom’s Nursing-Home Bill?”
The question many people in other states asked, of course: What are the 29 states?
Here’s the list, according to a recent paper by Katherine Pearson, a law professor at Pennsylvania State University.
Keep in mind that usage in other states has been infrequent, though long-term-care providers could look to the Pennsylvania precendents as sources of payment become more constricted.