Recently, the New York Times published an article regarding new tactics that Nursing Homes are taking to collect debts from their patients.
The article details the plight of the Palermo family. Mrs. Palermo is 90 years old and suffering from dementia. Her husband, who is 8 years her junior was disputing some increased charges from the nursing home, and alleging that the care she was receiving was inadequate. Instead of resolving the discrepancy with Mr. Palermo, the nursing home filed a guardianship petition in Court to collect these debts. In doing so, the nursing home is attempting to take control of Mrs. Palermo’s finances and pay themselves from her savings. In other words, the nursing home is using the guardianship petition as a means of bill collection. In many cases Nursing Homes use this tactic to scare the patient to pay their bill.
Our senior citizen community should be treasured and treated with respect. At Olstein Law, we know the length that some debt collectors will go to try and collect a debt from a consumer. Oftentimes, a debt collector might pray on the vulnerability of a senior citizen in an effort to entice payment. If you, or someone you know is being contacted by a debt collector that is using abusive tactics, call Joseph Olstein at Olstein Law today for a free consultation.