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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...

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I promised I would leave the medicaid answer to the Americans on the site, but from my reading the way it works is that Medicaid will stop paying his way until his assets are back below the spend down amount. Is there anything he needs that you can use the money on... a prepaid burial policy perhaps?
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Here's another consideration. Even if the buddies get a court judgment against the former customer, there's a long road between that and getting any actual money. If the customer were willing to fork over the money, she's probably have done it already. A judgment won't likely shake it out of her either. If I were him I'd leave this lawsuit alone. Given that he's receiving Medicaid, there's nothing to be gained from it.
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Yeah, it sounds like a hot mess. If they win the fees will come out of the settlement, if they lose....
Is it too late to take his name off the suit?
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Bella, they probably got a lawyer willing to work on "contingency" basis - you pay them a share of the proceeds - could be anywhere from 30-50% share of the receipts. So your father *might* recover 50% of what's left after lawyer and court fees, or less than 25%. Depending on the court they are suing in -- small claims court will sometimes be restricted to $5K recovery or less. I'd be more concerned about being able to explain to Medicaid about the money spent on gas and food for other people when he needs to get re-certified for Medicaid down the line. Buying food and gas for other people unless there is a contract set up is still seen as gifting unless it's coming out of the $90 personal allowance. And if he's got money to pay other folks, why are you picking up the difference? I know you are trying to be a good daughter, but you're really hurting yourself and your marriage in the long run. I've had the conversation from the other side with my husband about his parents - my husband gets super excited if his father even says the words THANK YOU for multiple 90 mile round trips with no offers of gas money, so hubs can help with banking, help with cars, etc. At some point, you're going to have to tell the people at assisted living that your father coming home is "an unsafe discharge" because he does NOT have 24/7 coverage at home. You have really gone above and beyond for your father, he is now at a point where he needs the round-the-clock professional care you can't physically provide.
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Just hope you never signed as responsible party;((
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!
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Bella hubby is a keeper
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According to my father, when I ask him about the court case he says, "I don't know, I just know I have a date coming up soon but I don't know when"... I do know at the beginning dad and his buddy went to talk to the lawyer together, and from what my dad says the buddy tells him he has a court date coming up. My dad likes to play dumb about it with me. It was small claims court and I'm pretty sure my dad is into deep on this already to get out.  This buddy needs to give me a call...or better yet, I need to look him up!!    My dad is recuperating at assisted-living from a stroke for heaven sakes!!  He's legally blind and has uncontrolled diabetes and severe neuropathy in his feet with the current ulcer that is not healing !!
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!!!!!!!
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Thank you for listening 😊
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Just saw your post!


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!
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❤️️I know, very lucky girl I am
"Thank you"
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