Never volunteer to care for a senior.

Deckape I have found that many times when you call a government entity it's a crap shoot on who you speak to and how well they help you.

From your post below it sounds like you have POA over your father. If this is correct you need a specific form from Medicare to make it so only you can change his Medicare plan etc. Without this form on file he is free to continue making changed to his account. This is in addition to any other form you filled out to let them know you are poa for your father.

If they can't stop it, can they at least notify you before any changes are implemented?

How long does the housing contract you signed last? Most have a renewal date. Can you get dad to sign one?

I volunteer to go over and give him the paperwork! :-)

The traps are these:

Dad was going to be homeless four years ago. I got him a place to live. Therefore he became my dependent in fact. After repeated falls and trips to the hospital a social worker threatened me with elder abuse for abandonment! (He lives in Hawaii, I live in Virginia).

To move him out of the apartment and into Medicaid adult foster home the agency required me to sign papers saying if anything happens I will assume financial responsibility. I was okay with that until...

He Medicare/Medicaid hopped on 01 JAN. The new insurance would cover his adult foster home. Other insurances won't. If he hops to an uncovered insurance I'll assume financial liability. Oops!

Yet there's nothing I can do to stop it except stop service on his cell phone and isolate him. That's cruel. But if it's him or me... sorry dad.

This isn't the only thing. I had similar problems with his bank. Lots of borderline fraud. Bank wouldn't close the account. Dad wouldn't close it (didn't understand what was happening). I paid.

Also problems with co-pay for medication, doctors, hospitals. Insurance hopping caused problems with payments I had to straighten out or pay.

I won't go on but you get the point.

So the lesson here is: if an elderly and vulnerable family member is about to be homeless then lock your doors and call 911. Never let them in.

[2:13:35 pm]: Thank you for contacting Medicare.gov Live Chat.

[2:13:38 pm]: XXXXX My name is XXXXX, the son of XXXXX. I would like to know how to stop him from Medicare insurance hopping.

[2:13:40 pm]: Please wait while you are connected to an agent.

[2:14:21 pm]: You are now connected with Medicare.gov Live Chat.

[2:17:00 pm]: XXXXX Hello, I'll be happy to assist you. I understand you would like to become his POA, stop him from changing insurances and get his doctor to deem him mentally unfit, is that correct?

[2:18:16 pm]: XXXXX I want to know what I have to do to stop him from changing insurance companies over and over again. He does have dementia. He's had at least two strokes. He doesn't always know what he's doing. His insurance hopping is caused by the TV ads that say to CALL NOW to get something free. This causes a mess with his doctors, medications, and his adult foster home. So before he looses something he needs I'd like to know what I have to do to stop him.

[2:24:27 pm]: XXXXX I understand where you are coming from, but unfortunately it actually cannot be stopped, we do not have control over the ads on tv since they are ads by private insurance companies.

[2:25:25 pm]: XXXXX Understood. So there is no way to put a block on his insurance? Or require they speak with his POA before changing it

[2:28:25 pm]: XXXXX Unfortunately no.

[2:29:16 pm]: XXXXX That's awful. Thank you for your help today.

What problem are you having with Medicare?

What kind of liability trap have you fell into?

You can walk away. Your Dad is in care right. I hope you are using his money and not yours. Set it up that someone makes the SS payments if this is what he is using for his stay there. Tell the home any problems they have should be directed to the state. That you are no longer going to be responsible for your Dad. They will need to contact APS to take over. Then you block any calls. Don't respond to any mail.

The old saw is true, "No good deed goes unpunished."

I don't think ANYBODY is out to 'protect seniors' from ANYTHING, personally. I have been the only advocate for my parents for the past 10+ years and have seen NO agency or person looking out for them BUT me. With the exception of the caregivers in their AL and now Memory Care AL; they've been great. But the powers that be in the branches of Medicare, social services, and elsewhere, FUGGEDABOUTIT.

Sad but true.

The problem is, the 'experts' tell you that you must sign and since you don't know any better you do for fear of not getting the help your senior needs.

Never sign anything you don't read thoroughly and understand completely.

Totally agree. I am sorry your good intentions bit you in the rear. Hopefully you can find away to get out of the mess you are in.