Guest guest Posted February 27, 2006 Report Share Posted February 27, 2006 I guess I have something else to add to my gratitude list. My disability company is Unum Providence & they have been great. My employer paid for 50% LTD for all employees & we could buy up to 60% for a few bucks a month, which I did. I had to buy my own STD, which wasn't expensive. The first time I applied for STD, I was denied because of high b/p (controlled), gallstones (removed), irritable bowel syndrome (no symptoms for years & asthma (no meds at that time). A few years later I reapplied & they accepted me, but not to cover any pre-existing conditions. At that time, I'd not been diagnosed with NS. So when it was just getting too difficult to work & my neuro kept encouraging me to apply for disability, I finally did. I was covered for NS then. My hope was that if I could just take off a few weeks, maybe I'd be ok. By this time I was on Pred & Imuran. When the STD ran out (I think it was 60 days), I tried working half days here & there, but just couldn't do it, plus I couldn't pass the CPR exam. So then I applied for LTD. My H.R. person, named Debbie, was getting chemo every day for breast cancer, yet she & the Unum rep worked together to get my LTD starting from when the STD stopped. See, I hadn't realized that by going back to work even part-time, they could have made me wait several months for the LTD. The Unum rep knew that I really hadn't wanted to go on disability & was trying hard not to. So he got LTD approved & retroactive! Then Unum hired a company to do the SSDI filing & appeals. They did tell me that whatever SSDI paid, they would supplement, so that I would not get any less. And in fact, after SSDI was approved, Unum sent me a letter stating my benefit amount & that it would not decrease with any SSDI increases. The SSDI was increased a little bit after a couple of months, so now I'm actually getting a few dollars more a month than when it was just LTD through Unum. So I can't say that they haven't been fair with me. Maybe I was just lucky & got a wonderful rep to start with. Now I did have to repay the lump sum from SSDI, which was okay with me, since Unum had been paying from the beginning. They even warned me to send it by 12/31/05, but I just didn't get it done. So I have a huge tax liability this year, but that's my fault. They will review my case periodically, just as SSDI will. I hope they continue to be as fair as they've been so far. Now, was that all clear as mud? Ramblin' Rose Moderator From: tiodaat@...Reply-To: Neurosarcoidosis To: Neurosarcoidosis Subject: Re: Has anyone receive corporate disability because of bei...Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 01:22:06 ESTBob,Several of us are blessed to have both SSDI and LTD. I worked for Pacific Bell when I got sick and this disease came out of remission. I'd only been with them for 3 yrs, and fortunately had marked the LTD box and started paying my $6.00 per paycheck into LTD. The company paid my STD for the first 12 months, then fought me tooth and nail about LTD for the next 6 months. However, they required I apply for SSDI and the same day that SSDI approved, my STD ran out- and since they'd been fighting it--and lost--- they automatically approved the LTD--rather than waste the money redoing the exact same tests that the STD people ran. Naturally your company doesn't want to have to match or pay up to whatever percentage (usually 50 - 60% total of what you made working)--and SSDI is 25% of that total-- so they'll fight you. Get it going-- and if they start hassling you-- get a lawyer for the LTD portion. Also, if you have a union--get ahold of your rep and get them going on this. They too will help you get what has been promised.sincerely,TracieNS Co-owner/moderatorPS. Go to ARCHIVES and check out the posts re: SSDI and LTD info. As you know, many of us have been there--and many will go again later.~~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~ *** ~~~~The Neurosarcoidosis CommunityNS CHAT:- Has been cancelled for now.Message Archives:-http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Neurosarcoidosis/messagesMembers Database:-Listings of locations, phone numbers, and instant messengers.http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Neurosarcoidosis/database Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2006 Report Share Posted February 27, 2006 Rose I guess I was a little grumpy about the LTD agent I had to deal with. The benefits can last until 9/1/2020 but the SSD increases will cause it to stop long before then. I had the chemo fever & back pain yesterday but it's all starting to calm down & I'm feeling much better now. Hope others are feeling better in the group too. Living alone the group sure has been a blessing for me. THANKS TO ALL! grannylunatic@... __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2006 Report Share Posted February 27, 2006 Rose I guess I was a little grumpy about the LTD agent I had to deal with. The benefits can last until 9/1/2020 but the SSD increases will cause it to stop long before then. I had the chemo fever & back pain yesterday but it's all starting to calm down & I'm feeling much better now. Hope others are feeling better in the group too. Living alone the group sure has been a blessing for me. THANKS TO ALL! grannylunatic@... __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 27, 2006 Report Share Posted February 27, 2006 Rose I guess I was a little grumpy about the LTD agent I had to deal with. The benefits can last until 9/1/2020 but the SSD increases will cause it to stop long before then. I had the chemo fever & back pain yesterday but it's all starting to calm down & I'm feeling much better now. Hope others are feeling better in the group too. Living alone the group sure has been a blessing for me. THANKS TO ALL! grannylunatic@... __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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