En esta noticia
Pennsylvania’s current law sets certain obligations for close relatives of people who are in a state of indigence, even when the state is also determined to have a role in their care.
Under Section 4603 of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, the children of indigent people have the “responsibility to care for, support, or provide financial assistance” to their parents in a state of extreme vulnerability.
Adult children must, by law, help support their indigent parents financially
The legal responsibility set out in the law applies to the children of indigent people, as well as to the spouse or parent of the person in this situation. Care may include coverage of medical assistance.
However, there are two specific cases in which a child may be exempt from the support obligation: being able to show that they do not have the financial means to support the indigent person, or that the indigent parent abandoned the child for at least 10 years while the child was a minor.
How much must children pay their parents in this situation
The law specifies that the judge will be responsible for determining how much the family member must pay, depending on each case. The court may intervene whenever the indigent person, a family member, or anyone else interested in their care asks it to.
When there is an obligation to cover medical expenses for older adults, the family member must pay for no more than 12 months the lesser of these amounts:
- Six times the difference between their income and the money needed to support those who depend on them
- The cost of the older adult’s medical care
The obligation to cover medical expenses may be reduced or eliminated, depending on the budget limits set by law. If the order is not followed as established, the penalty could be up to six months in prison.