My dad, 82, lives in AL, has Medicare and Medicaid. He and a buddy (who has Medicare/Medicaid, age like 66) teamed up several yrs ago (dad 78 at the time) and did some bulldozing work for a girlfriend of buddy, (since then they broke up). They are claiming this lady never paid them for their work which amounts to almost 7 to $8000. The lady had harassment charges against buddy and had to go to court. This buddy drug my dad to court with him several months ago as support he, was not called as a witness though. I went too because of suspicion of this "buddy" and also because of my dad making stupid decisions, (his whole life actually). I wanted to hear for myself what was going on. Several weeks after the court date, the buddy in forms my dad that my dad has a court date coming up soon. My dad likes to hide information regarding this case fromme... I heard through the grapevine in our little town that my dad has a pending court date.
My dad has for years done bulldozing work for people that cannot afford it and he would never collect money from them. Now he's in a sh*t-a** mess with no $, except SS of $600+ which all goes to AL and he only gets $90 a month out of it. My husband and I have been paying most everything for him, the money he does spend is on his friends that come pick him up to go for coffee and drive him all over the country.
I am his POA and get his bank statements at my home, he can't read them anyway because he's legally blind and he never looked at them before when he could read. The bank statement shows where he uses his debit card to buy his friends gas money and buys their food during their outings. That's fine, but I am the one driving him constantly to doctors hours away appointments and buying him extra things etc. that he needs for his health that insurance doesn't pay for. My husband and I have been OK with that but I'm at the point where I need to make some boundaries with him.
Now he wants to come back home because he thinks he can live cheaper there than the assisted-living. ( It's a long story, and I have discussed that here on other forums, but he definitely needs to stay at assisted-living). I have had that talk with him regarding staying at assisted-living, he says he's fine and is going to come home. He's legally blind, neuropathy, trying to get a diabetic foot wound healed up, he's totally off-balance and has fallen twice in the last two weeks.
Now this dude has convinced my dad who's 82 to sue this lady alongside with him using the same lawyer. Later when I asked my dad, who is paying the lawyer fees? He said, "I don't know"...duh
So the day of the hearing the lady claimed she has receipts showing proof of payment to this buddy and buddy was supposed to pay my dad his share. The buddy said no she hasn't paid.
Anyway they are still waiting for future court dates to try to proceed to get collection.
My question is, if my dad does receive payment from her now, I'm thinking this money will go to Medicaid, am I right ??? I HOPE IT DOES !!!
I'm fed up...
"Thank you"
A good friend of his takes him to town once a week to coffee shop then to the bank when check comes. Yes, I can talk with him but will probably ask my husband to since I'm chicken ****.
His "buddy" convinced him small claims was a good idea which seems unreal my dad agreed to it. In the past dad would never go after money thats due to him...he'd rather let it slide and say, "they must've needed it worse than me".
My parents are divorced and at same AL! Him not collecting $ was only 1 reason for divorce...another long story. Weird having them both there. I'm 54, divorced happened like 42 yrs ago. Too much for my nerves to say the least!
He had a bedbug/mice infested dumpy trailer we had to destroy...the stroke is what got him out of there into Hosp...had to have carotid surgery/rehab...we set him up for respite care at AL in hopes of him staying there. My husband, who has stepped up and being like a brother to me, (I'm only child), told dad we have to destroy the trailer and most of its contents.
My husband promised him he would rebuild him something new (a small like efficiency cabin) and it is almost finished. Husband didn't want to go back on his word and went forward with building it with us knowing that Dad should not come back there. Saying, yeah, you have to get better Dad and listen to the doctors before you can come back. He's a great showtimer!
Yes it's been at our expense...husband was ok with that
Who is taking Dad to the bank and *helping* him make these withdrawals. Is it always the same person? can you talk to this person?
Don't know much about small claims court except what i have seen on TV.
If the lady in questions she has the receipts for payment she may have been told to produce them and that is what the next court date is about. If she has them end of story and don't let Dad pay any legal fees he did not start this and don't you bale him out this time. I don't know if it is possible but find out if you can go to the court and get the date of the next hearing and show up yourself.
I hope you sorted out with the AL what Dad does or does not owe. If he gets a settlement Medicaid will certainly want it. I don't think it will disqualify him they will just take it for past payment .
As far as coming home is concerned, does he own a house? If so Medicaid probably has a lien on it as I assume Mom is not longer living.
Are you and hubby picking up the expenses for the house?
You probably need legal help to sort this one out, sounds as though it will be worth the investment. If the only way to keep dad in AL is to keep your wallet shut tight that is probably what needs to be done.
Trying to recall the day of sign up and going to AL today to hopefully meet with the Office girl
I'm his POA, so does that mean yes I'm responsible for that bill ? Hmmmm? Yikes is right!
Just wow. At some point they will evict him and go after money not paid to Assisted Living Facility, you understand? Every penny of his income should be paid to assisted living less the $90 personal needs allowance. You may need to get together with lawyer doctor and Adult Protective Services on this. Months?? Yikes!
When he first went into assisted living my husband and I had to pay first couple of months out of our pocket until his Medicaid kicked in, ever since my dad got there his Social Security check went straight to him in his nail box at AL. I asked the girl in charge of the residents billing about this and she said I don't know it's really weird, everyone's check comes to the office, I don't know why his went to his mailbox and not the office. A few days ago I got called to come to the office at AL because they had my dad's check, for some reason it didn't go to his mailbox. So now I get to be the one to say hey dad from now on the Office gets your check not you and you only get 90 bucks. He was told this from the beginning of entry there. He would have a friend of his pick him up, take him to the bank and he would cash it, deposit $100and stash the rest of the money in his room. From what I understand he's allowed to have $2000 in his checking, which he doesn't and I know since I get his bank statements and open them up, he can't read them anyway I never did. The highest amount he's ever had and is checking during this time is $300 and I have seen more he has withdrew some also at different times. I kept telling my husband there something wrong with this, we need to check on this, I'm worried,...when his room bill would come due it always showed a credit, total Medicaid pending new charges. He moved there in the middle of Aug 2016. Now for the month of April he's getting a charge of $533.46 . Has not deposited one check to his assisted living. At the top of his April statement it says Medicaid pending $18,945.73
Yes, my husband and I have enabled him throughout the years by helping them out and watching him do stupid things. I guess he thinks since my husband works hard every day and has been pretty successful that we can afford it and since I am just a homemaker that I have the time to cater to him. When he does come home which is very very close to our home I do not have mentally what I need to take care of him because of bad choices he continually makes. He would be set up with Help At Home but he definitely needs more. I have told the girls nurses etc. assisted-living that I can't handle this when he comes home they kind of look at me out of pity like they don't know what to say. I did get him a new primary care physician to replace his old one to help manage his care better. Recently I talk to his original doctor and he said he would help me in evaluating him and telling him he should stay at assisted-living.
Sorry to ramble I feel like I'm in the middle of a tornado messing with my brain
YES!!! THIS A VERY HOT MESS!!!!!!!
Is it too late to take his name off the suit?
Wondering how the lawyer fees are going to be paid ?!!
I get confused about the spend down