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The Daily Insight Hub

Can they come after spouse for medical bills?

Author

William Jenkins

Updated on February 06, 2026

Yes. You are still legally married and the creditor could come after you for his debts for necessary expenses, such as medical care, during this separation.

Is a widow responsible for husband’s medical debt?

In most cases, the deceased person’s estate is responsible for paying any debt left behind, including medical bills. If there’s not enough money in the estate, family members still generally aren’t responsible for covering a loved one’s medical debt after death — although there are some exceptions.

Can medical debt be erased with bankruptcy?

In a bankruptcy, medical debt is considered non-priority unsecured debt: It’s dischargeable, meaning it can be forgiven. By contrast, priority debt—such as tax bills, child support and most student loans—can’t be eliminated through bankruptcy.

What happens if you Cannot pay medical bills?

After a period of nonpayment, the hospital or health care facility will likely sell unpaid health care bills to a collections agency, which works to recoup its investment in your debt. You can’t make medical debt and hospital bills disappear by ignoring them, experts say.

Does medical debt go away?

It takes seven years for medical debt to disappear from your credit report. And even then, the debt never actually goes away. If you’ve had a recent hospital stay or an unpleasant visit to your doctor, worrying about the credit bureaus is likely the last thing you want to do.

What happens to your medical bills when you file bankruptcy?

Medical debt incurred before you file bankruptcy is eliminated when you receive your bankruptcy discharge. That even includes any medical bills you don’t get until after the bankruptcy case is filed. As long as the medical treatment happened before filing, the debt is dischargeable.

Can a medical debt be discharged in Chapter 7 bankruptcy?

The short answer is YES. In a Chapter 7 context, medical debt, regardless of the amount, is completely dischargeable. That means, if your bankruptcy results in a discharge, you have no obligation to pay back any of the medical bills you have incurred that were not paid for by your insurance coverage before filing in your bankruptcy petition.

What happens if a husband files bankruptcy without his wife?

If a husband files bankruptcy without his wife, then only the husband’s debts are discharged in bankruptcy and the wife’s debts are still unaffected. If the debts are held jointly, then the non-filing wife will still owe even after one spouse has filed bankruptcy.

Can a doctor refuse to treat you after bankruptcy?

Medical providers can refuse to treat you after bankruptcy proceedings, though it’s far from certain they would. If they do, you’d at least be out of debt when you go looking for another provider. Credit reporting agencies don’t care what kind of debt you have.