[WSBARP] Creditor's Claim by DCM on behalf of Swedish Hospital

[Doris Eslinger]

DCM filed a creditor's claim against one of my probate matters for medical bills of over $177K on behalf of Swedish.   The decedent had Premera medical insurance.  I found out that Swedish administered very expensive drugs to treat his cancer and the Premera rejected the claim stating that the drug used was experimental and ineffective for that type of cancer  (Swedish appealed the decision and Premera again rejected it).  Premera stated that an outside expert was hired to made the determination.  I believe Swedish should have known what the insurance company's expert knows and shouldn't have administered the drug and then come after the estate for payment.  I asked the surviving spouse whether she and her husband signed any agreement that if medical insurance didn't cover the medicine that they would cover it. She said they signed so many papers she doesn't know what they signed and that they were overwhelmed by his illness (the surviving spouse and the decedent are/were in their early 30's without any family in this country).  The estate's assets exceed the homestead amount plus the amount of the claim so that homestead award doesn't help.  Does anyone have any idea or experience on how to approach this?  Negotiate with DCM/Swedish?  Reject the claim and expect a law suit?  Pay the claim? Contact Premera to appeal their decision?   Thank you!

Regards,

Doris Eslinger
Attorney at Law
Eslinger Law Office, PLLC
2200 112th Ave NE, Suite 200
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone: (425) 451-3237

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