Can Nursing Home or State Make Me Financially Responsible for Mother's Bills

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priscillab

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My mom was discharged from an assisted living facility this morning and admitted into a nursing home. She could not return to any assisted living facility now. Her Medicaid is pending and they will back pay to her admission date once it's officially kicked in which should not be much longer. The nursing home had a Medicaid bed open today which apparently is very rare here in SC. Medicaid said I could admit her because of the backpay. Yesterday afternoon the home called me to tell me the bed was open, my mom was ok'd by the doc to be admitted on Thurs. and because her Mediciad is not official yet (but it will be), she said I would have to sign a form that said if the Medicaid doesn't kick in, she will be private pay. When I got there with her to admit her, my mom signed all the papers but the nursing home person said no, that I had to sign the one form, not my mom. I have DPOA so she said I was legally responsible. She said if I didn't sign it, they couldn't admit her. I told her I can't afford to be financially responsible for her because I don't have any money but she said that was the only way they would admit her if I signed. She also said, not to worry because if Mediacaid kicks in then I won't have to pay anything. Well, here I was at the home with my mom and she couldn't go back to any assisited living places, she's well beyond what I can do for her and can't take her into my home and she can't go into a nursing home private pay because there's no funds and there are no Medicaid beds. I felt terribly pressured and out of options. So, I signed but I signed like this: My Name, POA Her Name. On the way back home (about 4:30 this afternoon) I called the Medicaid office to see if the property check had been done. They were waiting for that to finalize her Medicaid and expected it would be done before Friday. She said no it wasn't done, might not be done until sometime next week now but they will backpay. She said Medicaid will pay for my mom's room and board and I need to ask the pharmacy if they will accept Medicaid. I called the home back and asked them. She said Medicaid will only pay for room and board and that I am legally responsible for paying all my mom's bills that go above and beyond room and board. I told her I can't do that. I have a serious financial situation and don't make enough money to support myself let alone support my mom and I can't be finacially responsible for it. She said you're not alone. I said, yes I am - I'm the only child. She said, not you're not alone in that you can't pay your bills, I can't pay off my student loans and you don't see me worrying about it so don't worry about it. I asked her what kind of bills will I get each month and she said don't worry about it and let Medicaid kick in. I panicked - I do NOT have the money for this. So I called DSS and they told me that if I did not pay, the home would file a complaint against me with Adult Protective Services which would have to be investigated. At that time Adult Protective Services would contact me to let me know I am finacially responsible for my mother because I am next of kin. I said I am not her legal guardian but she said the state cannot be financially responsible for her and that they can make me be financially responsible. I am in a panic over this thinking I am going to lose everything now. If I try to get out the the contract that I signed today then I would have to take her into my home and that is not an option. If I leave her there then I'm afriad I will wind up owing thousands if not tens or hundreds of thousands if she lives for years. What do I do? Am I legally responsible for my mother's bills because she's my mother? And also because I signed even though I put POA and her name? Thanks.
 
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