Whatever your mom owned when she passed is her Estate. You need to find out who the beneficiary of the Life Ins. is. by calling the Life Ins. Company. Did mom take out the life ins. to pay for her funeral & bills owed or was someone else the beneficiary? I agree, that I don't think there will be hospital bills to be paid if she was on Medicare. I had power of attorney for my brother in law & when he passed after brain surgery, I never got a hospital bill.