Debts and Credit

I went to the hospital for outpatient surgery. A simple procedure of which they quote me a cost of $1125 if I was paying cash. I paid the day of the surgery and then three days later received a bill for another $1395. Can they actually do this? The procedure took less than an hour. There were no other problems that could have caused the rate to go up.

My brother recently died without a will. My brother and I are the only relatives left. (My living brother is someone who would not want his name on any document--anti establishment, government person.) My dead brother had a lot of debt and no insurance and the last month of his life he spent in the hospital. The social workers were able to get him on disability because he was so ill for so long. The only money he had is a small retirement of $36,000 and had my (deceased) father as beneficiary. When I send them the death certificates and put my name on the retirement will, I then be responsible for all the debt he had? And if I am responsible, can I take my money for the funeral and all first?

Under Tennessee law,when a person dies, is the surviving spouse held responsible for the deceased persons hospital bills?

I was in the process of buying a house. I paid a small amount which should have gone in escrow. We never closed on the house. The company will not give me my $1800 until they sell the house. What recourse do I have?

Can a collection agency (that is assigned to a debt; they did not buy the debt) legally hire their own attorney to represent them in court?