Working with Social Security / Medicaid?

You are a family member.
Can you enter his home, find what you need?

Is Dad cognizant? You need first to get a POA. While that won't help with Social Security (to become rep payee you need two doctors saying Dad is no longer competent)it will get things started. If Dad is no longer competent enough to make you POA you will need guardianship. If in SNF ask Social Worker to help you with temporary guardianshi;p. This will get you in the door to get to begin doing what you need to do. You will need to get elder care attorney to help I think and can be reimbursed (complete record keeping and diaries and expenditures crucial in ALL of this).
See the Social Worker in SNF as soon as you can and good luck on getting a good and helpful one. You may also call 1- 800- medicare to get the information you need on how to move forward.
It is a long, excruciating thing to try to do, even when things are well organized and I wish you the best.
POA is difficult. The drawback is you are responsible, if Dad is incompetent, for everything. You will spend a year trying to place him, go through finances, get yourself added to accounts, get mailings sent to you, making files and records. It is a huge job. And I did it for someone who was newly diagnosed, could cooperate, and was very for this, and very organized, with little in terms of real property and accounts. I sure wish you the best.
And do know that SS and medicare don't accept POA. They only do rep payee at social security; you will need the doctor letters. The Medicare will send bill explanation to you with a letter from your Dad if he is capable of doing that. Otherwise it is guardianship and such.

You might ask dad if he has ever set up a "My Social Security" online accouy. That would be the easiest way to get his earnings record and found out what his yearly payment will be.

Medicaid does a five year look back. In my state they only ask for 6 months of bank statements.

Social Security you shouldn't have too many problems with. Medicaid you must give them 5 years of bankstatements. Your fathers bank should be able to do this. This is not unusual request.

Employee records I don't remember being asked for by either SS or Medicaid. SS has employment records. Thats how they calculate the amount he is entitled to. Medicaid goes by what Dad makes now. The only way I see being able to get this info is his yearly taxes. Really, I have worked several jobs and I don't have anything going back not even tax records. I get rid of older years. You could hire someone but they will probably just tell you how to go about doing it. No one will be given excess unless ur Dad has given permission. Are you POA?

If its his last employer they are asking for, you go to that employer and ask them to print out his records.

Is your father unable to assist you in allowing you access to his banking information and employment information?

I know of no drawbacks to getting POA if your father is willing and competent to grant it.