Following discharge from rehab, the skilled nursing facility asked me to personally guarantee $4500. Advice?

Always write "DPOA" after your signature. Always. Never agree to pay his bills.

SpiritGate2014 your and your sibs need to work toward your own financial security. I agree that you should not take on paying your father's expenses.

Don't fully rule Medicaid out for the future. Many seniors wind up needing that.

Thanks for your help. No one recommended changing to a supplemental but they did recommend Medicaid and permanent residency in their nursing home. Made me suspicious. I called about supplemental policies today. Except for paying the 20% of the skilled nursing during rehab, his current GEHA insurance plan surpasses the supplemental coverage and costs when you factor in the cost of his specific medications, and copays. He has no assets, stocks etc. His retirement income through OPM is decent and with payment plans, he will slowly repay the nursing facilities. My siblings and I choose not to go the Medicaid route. We are lucky that my Father is still active and I did not want to leave him with the small amount to live on that Medicaid allows. We found an affordable assisted living and I am crunching numbers to make it work. Medicaid may be in his future but we have not quite reached that stage.
Thanks for the advice about talking to the lawyer. I will do that. I am trying not to use my money to pay for his expenses.

You also need to better understand what your POA means. when you sign as POA, your are signing "AS IF" your father was signing as the responsible party. You need to make this very clear and I would consult the lawyer who drew up the POA as to how to sign to make this clear legally. YOU are NOT responsible for your father's bill. Keep good records so that you can legally reimburse yourself for what you've already laid out on his behalf.

Don't sign anything. This is your Dad's responsibility. He needs a supplemental medical plan to cover what Medicare doesn't. If he is a vet, he can sign up for Tricare. If he is a federal employee he has FEHB benefits. Google OPM FEHB. You have a week to sign up before this year open season closes. If he resigned his FEHB benefits, AARP or others have supplemental Medicare policies. If he has no assests Medicaid should cover the rest. Don't use your money.

Does your father have assets? Savings, stocks, house? These should be used to pay for his care. If he has no assets, the NH should be helping you apply for Medicaid. Didn't the discharge folks at the rehab go over this stuff with you? they were supposed to. YOU do not have to be financially responsible for your father's care.