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You can go a bit farther with contesting the issue if you want to. But first, some questions:

Who told you that you wouldn't be responsible? I assume this was a verbal statement. Were there witnesses, anyone else on your family side? I.e., who all was present at the time this representation was made?

"...but that is what it says." Peanut, what was it that was signed, and who signed it? And you saw this statement in the contract, or admission papers, or something similar?

First, this is a general observation, i.e., that oral representations aren't valid and don't supercede a contract or other written document.

When did you sign the contract, i.e., how long ago? It might be a long shot, but your state might have a statute providing a signer of a document a certain amount of time to rescind that execution. I've only seen this in sales, such as a contract for purchase of something, and haven't done any research to determine if it's applicable to medical contracts. But in your case, it's worth doing some research.

For whom did you sign? Parent, sibling? And what was the purpose of the contract, i.e., for rehab, for private duty home care?

If the service is covered by Medicare, and the individual for whom the contract was signed has Medicare, it might be that there won't be an issue.

So, please provide more information, it may or may not be an issue, say, if someone with Medicare and a Medigap policy is getting rehab.

And don't mentally beat yourself up. I signed contracts in panicky situations, not even realizing that I should have added the POA qualifier. They were stressful situations, I was relieved I found a good place and didn't even think about adding the qualifier when I signed.

And I never paid anything, b/c all the costs were covered by Medicare and Medigap Plan C.
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Send a certified letter ASAP stating that you will not be responsible for costs incurred by "Grandpa Joe". At least, this will put an end date to any damage that has already been incurred.
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Call an attorney. NOW
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Yes, I would speak to the person who asked you to sign, and explain that you didn't have the understanding that you would share the responsibility for payment, and ask if it can be revised.

Failing that, the only other option I can think of would be to consult a contract attorney, and explain that the terms of the agreement were misrepresented at the time of the signing, and see if you have any legal recourse in the matter.
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You signed a document without reading it based just on what someone told you It said? Uh-oh. Get the name and staff position of the person who told you that you would not be responsible for payment. Speak with him/her and tell them you didn’t understand what you were signing because you were under stress. Try and ask for a re-do. It’s your only option.
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Never sign your name to docs for others, particularly in ALF, NH, etc. Elder lawyer advised my mother to sign my father’s name and be sure to put “BY” xxxxxxx. And document that she was signing using a DPOA. If she signed her name and suddenly payment for something was needed, she was going to get the bill.
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You can't.

You can ask the person who told you that the document you were signing did not make you responsible for payment to explain himself. I imagine he will tell you, though, that you must have misunderstood him.

In any case, that person did not force you to sign a contract without reading it, did he. I just don't know what to say.

Does the person you are caring for in fact have sufficient funds to cover his own bills? In other words, will your theoretical responsibility actually mean your having to find real money?
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