Re: Long term disability insurance problems

February 7, 2005

Hi, I'm Margo. I am 61, have lupus and copd, ra, etc.

I last worked august 20th 2004, went to short term

disability, almost lost my house and almost starved to

death. Got some checks and almost starved to death.

They (Unum Provident) for November and December (Merry

Christmas) didn't send a check for these two months,

then sent a check that was to large and the bank put a

5 day hold on it. That took to January 1st.When I

talked to at Unum Provident she said it had

been approved to Feb 25 and would go to long term

disability then. Well I am now getting letters and

both my doctors are getting letters, wanting to know

if I can work and what is going on with me. They are

suggesting I go to the doctors and hurry up their

response so it goes from short term to long term

without lapse. I was approved from the state of Mo

about two weeks ago for disability. My doctor has

written 2 letters explaining all I have and it is not

going to get better, just worse. I don't know how

many times and how many ways he can say that to them

that they will understand. But that is where I am

now. I read where unum has several lawsuits, go to

google for long term disability. I have worked all my

life and , the last 23 years for the same company. I

cannot work any more, I was dozing off talking to

people on the phone at work. Some days I could not

get out of bed. Iwould miss and that was an

occurance, after so many occurances you are fired.

Unum keeps asking me what and how the doctor is

treating my illness? Well the past several times is

just to figure out and get the forms ready for Unum

which I am charged for, we don't have time for my

illness just to run around and get what unum wants. I

have a lawyer lined up if needed. My person in our

human resources office said she knows of only one man

who got long term disability from unum, and he had a

heart problem. One time when they were finally

sending me a check I begged them to let me pay for the

overnight so I would have the next day as I knew the

bank would put a hold on it and they absolutely would

not do it.After I hit Feb 25 I don't know if I will

have insurance for my meds, death ins,

hospitalization. They will offer me cobra for $453 a

month and I have no records to see even what that

covers. If your are not at death's doorstep when you

file with them for long term disability, you will be

when you are rejected or approved. Sorry for your

problems, I hate them. Let them go for a week without

10 meds you take in the am and 8 you take in the pm.

A few narcotics for pain and anxiety (gee I wonder

where that comes from). Sorry I rambled but I think

my blood pressure is going up. Margo Major

--- " chuck.penny " <chuckandpenny@...> wrote:

>

> Hi Everyone.

> I posted a few months ago about the ease of getting

> Social Security

> for myself. After having RA since 17 and working the

> whole time, at

> 43 I had to throw in the towel. Well SS may have

> been a breeze, but

> my private LTD is being rediculous. I applied in

> July 04 for both SS

> and long term. SS aproved me after 4 months, with my

> first check 2

> months later. The LTD, Unum Provident, was to start

> paying after 90

> days. It's now 8 months.

> All they ever say is that they are reviewing my

> records. In december

> they said I should have an answer in 2 weeks, in

> January, it was the

> end of the week, each time followed by a letter

> telling me they need

> another 30 days.

> Does anyone have any experience dealing with these

> guys? I feel like

> Im getting set up tp be rejected.

> Penny

>

February 7, 2005

Hi, I'm Margo. I am 61, have lupus and copd, ra, etc.

I last worked august 20th 2004, went to short term

disability, almost lost my house and almost starved to

death. Got some checks and almost starved to death.

They (Unum Provident) for November and December (Merry

Christmas) didn't send a check for these two months,

then sent a check that was to large and the bank put a

5 day hold on it. That took to January 1st.When I

talked to at Unum Provident she said it had

been approved to Feb 25 and would go to long term

disability then. Well I am now getting letters and

both my doctors are getting letters, wanting to know

if I can work and what is going on with me. They are

suggesting I go to the doctors and hurry up their

response so it goes from short term to long term

without lapse. I was approved from the state of Mo

about two weeks ago for disability. My doctor has

written 2 letters explaining all I have and it is not

going to get better, just worse. I don't know how

many times and how many ways he can say that to them

that they will understand. But that is where I am

now. I read where unum has several lawsuits, go to

google for long term disability. I have worked all my

life and , the last 23 years for the same company. I

cannot work any more, I was dozing off talking to

people on the phone at work. Some days I could not

get out of bed. Iwould miss and that was an

occurance, after so many occurances you are fired.

Unum keeps asking me what and how the doctor is

treating my illness? Well the past several times is

just to figure out and get the forms ready for Unum

which I am charged for, we don't have time for my

illness just to run around and get what unum wants. I

have a lawyer lined up if needed. My person in our

human resources office said she knows of only one man

who got long term disability from unum, and he had a

heart problem. One time when they were finally

sending me a check I begged them to let me pay for the

overnight so I would have the next day as I knew the

bank would put a hold on it and they absolutely would

not do it.After I hit Feb 25 I don't know if I will

have insurance for my meds, death ins,

hospitalization. They will offer me cobra for $453 a

month and I have no records to see even what that

covers. If your are not at death's doorstep when you

file with them for long term disability, you will be

when you are rejected or approved. Sorry for your

problems, I hate them. Let them go for a week without

10 meds you take in the am and 8 you take in the pm.

A few narcotics for pain and anxiety (gee I wonder

where that comes from). Sorry I rambled but I think

my blood pressure is going up. Margo Major

--- " chuck.penny " <chuckandpenny@...> wrote:

>

> Hi Everyone.

> I posted a few months ago about the ease of getting

> Social Security

> for myself. After having RA since 17 and working the

> whole time, at

> 43 I had to throw in the towel. Well SS may have

> been a breeze, but

> my private LTD is being rediculous. I applied in

> July 04 for both SS

> and long term. SS aproved me after 4 months, with my

> first check 2

> months later. The LTD, Unum Provident, was to start

> paying after 90

> days. It's now 8 months.

> All they ever say is that they are reviewing my

> records. In december

> they said I should have an answer in 2 weeks, in

> January, it was the

> end of the week, each time followed by a letter

> telling me they need

> another 30 days.

> Does anyone have any experience dealing with these

> guys? I feel like

> Im getting set up tp be rejected.

> Penny

>

February 7, 2005

Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me pay back every cent since I

got SSD!

February 7, 2005

Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me pay back every cent since I

got SSD!

February 7, 2005

Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD is a good thing. Most long

term carriers require you to apply for Social Security Disability as a

requirement for benefits and then they balance benefits. This way- since you

have already been approved- you know the amount of Social Security Disability

and will be able to coordinate from the get go- and there would be no need for

payback amount. I know this from client work and friends apps - this is the

legal end of it.

-------------- Original message ----------------------

From: emeraldforest01@...

>

> Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me pay back every cent since I

> got SSD!

>

February 7, 2005

Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD is a good thing. Most long

term carriers require you to apply for Social Security Disability as a

requirement for benefits and then they balance benefits. This way- since you

have already been approved- you know the amount of Social Security Disability

and will be able to coordinate from the get go- and there would be no need for

payback amount. I know this from client work and friends apps - this is the

legal end of it.

-------------- Original message ----------------------

From: emeraldforest01@...

>

> Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me pay back every cent since I

> got SSD!

>

February 7, 2005

I know my disability amount from state is $1089. With

my company long term is 66% of my salary, Cobra at

$435 a month and I don't exactly know what it covers

or has a drug card. I was told once work long term

okayed I would be paid the 66% minus the state

disability amount. Is this what you are talking

about? Margo Major

--- k.j.choate@... wrote:

> Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD is

> a good thing. Most long term carriers require you to

> apply for Social Security Disability as a

> requirement for benefits and then they balance

> benefits. This way- since you have already been

> approved- you know the amount of Social Security

> Disability and will be able to coordinate from the

> get go- and there would be no need for payback

> amount. I know this from client work and friends

> apps - this is the legal end of it.

>

> -------------- Original message

> ----------------------

> From: emeraldforest01@...

> >

> > Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me

> pay back every cent since I

> > got SSD!

> >

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

> >

February 7, 2005

I know my disability amount from state is $1089. With

my company long term is 66% of my salary, Cobra at

$435 a month and I don't exactly know what it covers

or has a drug card. I was told once work long term

okayed I would be paid the 66% minus the state

disability amount. Is this what you are talking

about? Margo Major

--- k.j.choate@... wrote:

> Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD is

> a good thing. Most long term carriers require you to

> apply for Social Security Disability as a

> requirement for benefits and then they balance

> benefits. This way- since you have already been

> approved- you know the amount of Social Security

> Disability and will be able to coordinate from the

> get go- and there would be no need for payback

> amount. I know this from client work and friends

> apps - this is the legal end of it.

>

> -------------- Original message

> ----------------------

> From: emeraldforest01@...

> >

> > Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me

> pay back every cent since I

> > got SSD!

> >

> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

> >

February 7, 2005

I talked to social security today and they said I

cannot get social security for two more years. I am

61 and will be 62 august 7th. Margo

--- Margo Major <wherzmax@...> wrote:

>

> I know my disability amount from state is $1089.

> With

> my company long term is 66% of my salary, Cobra at

> $435 a month and I don't exactly know what it covers

> or has a drug card. I was told once work long term

> okayed I would be paid the 66% minus the state

> disability amount. Is this what you are talking

> about? Margo Major

> --- k.j.choate@... wrote:

>

> > Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD

> is

> > a good thing. Most long term carriers require you

> to

> > apply for Social Security Disability as a

> > requirement for benefits and then they balance

> > benefits. This way- since you have already been

> > approved- you know the amount of Social Security

> > Disability and will be able to coordinate from

> the

> > get go- and there would be no need for payback

> > amount. I know this from client work and friends

> > apps - this is the legal end of it.

> >

> > -------------- Original message

> > ----------------------

> > From: emeraldforest01@...

> > >

> > > Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me

> > pay back every cent since I

> > > got SSD!

> > >

> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> > removed]

> > >

February 7, 2005

I talked to social security today and they said I

cannot get social security for two more years. I am

61 and will be 62 august 7th. Margo

--- Margo Major <wherzmax@...> wrote:

>

> I know my disability amount from state is $1089.

> With

> my company long term is 66% of my salary, Cobra at

> $435 a month and I don't exactly know what it covers

> or has a drug card. I was told once work long term

> okayed I would be paid the 66% minus the state

> disability amount. Is this what you are talking

> about? Margo Major

> --- k.j.choate@... wrote:

>

> > Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD

> is

> > a good thing. Most long term carriers require you

> to

> > apply for Social Security Disability as a

> > requirement for benefits and then they balance

> > benefits. This way- since you have already been

> > approved- you know the amount of Social Security

> > Disability and will be able to coordinate from

> the

> > get go- and there would be no need for payback

> > amount. I know this from client work and friends

> > apps - this is the legal end of it.

> >

> > -------------- Original message

> > ----------------------

> > From: emeraldforest01@...

> > >

> > > Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me

> > pay back every cent since I

> > > got SSD!

> > >

> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> > removed]

> > >

February 7, 2005

Yes. Also if you are applying for the federal- social security or SSI- those

are also factored in.

Re: [ ] Long term disability insurance problems

>

>I know my disability amount from state is $1089. With

>my company long term is 66% of my salary, Cobra at

>$435 a month and I don't exactly know what it covers

>or has a drug card. I was told once work long term

>okayed I would be paid the 66% minus the state

>disability amount. Is this what you are talking

>about? Margo Major

>--- k.j.choate@... wrote:

>

>> Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD is

>> a good thing. Most long term carriers require you to

>> apply for Social Security Disability as a

>> requirement for benefits and then they balance

>> benefits. This way- since you have already been

>> approved- you know the amount of Social Security

>> Disability and will be able to coordinate from the

>> get go- and there would be no need for payback

>> amount. I know this from client work and friends

>> apps - this is the legal end of it.

>>

>> -------------- Original message

>> ----------------------

>> From: emeraldforest01@...

>> >

>> > Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me

>> pay back every cent since I

>> > got SSD!

>> >

>> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

>> removed]

>> >

February 7, 2005

Yes. Also if you are applying for the federal- social security or SSI- those

are also factored in.

Re: [ ] Long term disability insurance problems

>

>I know my disability amount from state is $1089. With

>my company long term is 66% of my salary, Cobra at

>$435 a month and I don't exactly know what it covers

>or has a drug card. I was told once work long term

>okayed I would be paid the 66% minus the state

>disability amount. Is this what you are talking

>about? Margo Major

>--- k.j.choate@... wrote:

>

>> Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD is

>> a good thing. Most long term carriers require you to

>> apply for Social Security Disability as a

>> requirement for benefits and then they balance

>> benefits. This way- since you have already been

>> approved- you know the amount of Social Security

>> Disability and will be able to coordinate from the

>> get go- and there would be no need for payback

>> amount. I know this from client work and friends

>> apps - this is the legal end of it.

>>

>> -------------- Original message

>> ----------------------

>> From: emeraldforest01@...

>> >

>> > Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me

>> pay back every cent since I

>> > got SSD!

>> >

>> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

>> removed]

>> >

February 7, 2005

So with me being ok'd with federal, plus the long term

disability from work minus the federal, I would have

to take the Cobra at $453 per month as it was offered.

Then I would not be eligible for medicaid or medicare

because they offered me another plan (cobra) at work?

--- Choate <k.j.choate@...> wrote:

> Yes. Also if you are applying for the federal-

> social security or SSI- those

> are also factored in.

>

> Re: [ ] Long term disability

> insurance problems

>

> >

> >I know my disability amount from state is $1089.

> With

> >my company long term is 66% of my salary, Cobra at

> >$435 a month and I don't exactly know what it

> covers

> >or has a drug card. I was told once work long term

> >okayed I would be paid the 66% minus the state

> >disability amount. Is this what you are talking

> >about? Margo Major

> >--- k.j.choate@... wrote:

> >

> >> Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD

> is

> >> a good thing. Most long term carriers require you

> to

> >> apply for Social Security Disability as a

> >> requirement for benefits and then they balance

> >> benefits. This way- since you have already been

> >> approved- you know the amount of Social Security

> >> Disability and will be able to coordinate from

> the

> >> get go- and there would be no need for payback

> >> amount. I know this from client work and friends

> >> apps - this is the legal end of it.

> >>

> >> -------------- Original message

> >> ----------------------

> >> From: emeraldforest01@...

> >> >

> >> > Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me

> >> pay back every cent since I

> >> > got SSD!

> >> >

> >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> >> removed]

> >> >

February 7, 2005

So with me being ok'd with federal, plus the long term

disability from work minus the federal, I would have

to take the Cobra at $453 per month as it was offered.

Then I would not be eligible for medicaid or medicare

because they offered me another plan (cobra) at work?

--- Choate <k.j.choate@...> wrote:

> Yes. Also if you are applying for the federal-

> social security or SSI- those

> are also factored in.

>

> Re: [ ] Long term disability

> insurance problems

>

> >

> >I know my disability amount from state is $1089.

> With

> >my company long term is 66% of my salary, Cobra at

> >$435 a month and I don't exactly know what it

> covers

> >or has a drug card. I was told once work long term

> >okayed I would be paid the 66% minus the state

> >disability amount. Is this what you are talking

> >about? Margo Major

> >--- k.j.choate@... wrote:

> >

> >> Good advice- but then again- maybe delay from LTD

> is

> >> a good thing. Most long term carriers require you

> to

> >> apply for Social Security Disability as a

> >> requirement for benefits and then they balance

> >> benefits. This way- since you have already been

> >> approved- you know the amount of Social Security

> >> Disability and will be able to coordinate from

> the

> >> get go- and there would be no need for payback

> >> amount. I know this from client work and friends

> >> apps - this is the legal end of it.

> >>

> >> -------------- Original message

> >> ----------------------

> >> From: emeraldforest01@...

> >> >

> >> > Be careful applying for both my LTD has made me

> >> pay back every cent since I

> >> > got SSD!

> >> >

> >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been

> >> removed]

> >> >

February 8, 2005

I am so sorry for all of the problems that some of you have faced with LTD.

I am going to share mine with you. I was a school teacher for emotionally

disturbed adolescents ( what an oxymoron) On 8/14/98 I ruptured a disc at work

at a summer school , not my regular school. I had to have an ambulance pick me

up since I could not feel my feet from the knees down. I was told that an

incident report was to be filed immediately and this would be considered

Workers' Compensation. This was the last day of summer school and we had a three

week break before the new school year began and I would return to my regular

school. Since these were not paid days I did not realize it then that no one had

filed any incident report at the school I had worked in the summer. I had

found out that i had to ruptured discs and was going to need surgery but when I

expected to be under workers' comp with paid leave I found out that since

the school i had been working for that summer had failed to file an incident

report workers' comp first had to investigate and eventually denied my claim.

This took from August to February. I had to work even though I was under the

worst pain I had ever experienced, was under incredible amounts of pain

medication and still cried everyday just getting up in the morning. I could not

afford to take off though since as you may well know teachers are not the

richest I had just gone through a divorce and was a single mother supporting my

daughter of 8 years and my elderly mother. I endured until March 8th 1999 and

then had no choice but to take an unpaid leave. I had been paying for LTD ,

out of my own pocket for almost ten years but of course had to be out of work

for six months before I could receive any benefits. I also was told by my

surgeon ( I had to have immediate surgery ) my Pain Management Doctor my

Neurologist and GP that I had already caused permanent nerve damage since I had

waited so long. SO I was absolutely broke for the next six months, had to have

my

daughter move in with her father ( who was not paying child support anyway

and I was in no condition to deal with that ) , my mother had to move in with

her sister and I ended up losing my home. I had to borrow money from a friend

just to eat for the next six months. I then started receiving LTD. At the

same time I had applied for SSD. I was initially denied but I had all of my

doctors backing me and by this point I had been diagnosed with RA , post

lamenectomy syndrome, degenerative disc disease and joint facet disease. I was

in

debt up to my eyeballs with no end in sight. I had to sue the School Board

because of denying my original Workers' Comp claim and after many many months

received a total amount of 37,000 ( 9,000 which went straight to my lawyer). I

appealed my SSD and went all the way to the LEA( this time with no lawyer) I

eventually won my disability but when it came time to get my back pay which

would have been over 56,000 since it had taken almost 3 years I ended up only

getting 16,000 because they said they had to pay the rest back to my LTD with

United Health Care. Now I am paying at 103.00 a month the entire 36,000 or

so that I received in LTD because they claim that I got my disability and

therefore was overpaid. I had to pay disability for this and now am having to

pay my LTD insurance company and every penny I won in the award I paid back my

debts. In essence it has cost me 64,000 for a loan from my LTD insurance

company. When I asked SSD they said they did not understand why I had to pay it

back twice but they had to get their money back. I do not understand one bit

but these are the facts......

If anyone can explain why this is so please let me know.

Thanks.

Jacquie

February 8, 2005