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02-05-2006, 08:13 PM

Perhaps a good lawmaker to start with would be Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania. I believe it is his wife's (mother's?) name on the only Breast Cancer Center outside Walter Reed giving the her2neu vaccine both to metastatic patients and to early breast cancer patients. Also, I believe he got a lot of publicity recently as a Vietnam vet, so I am sure he understands disability.

Another word of warning,however. The country's biggest nongovernmental disability insurance provider (selling 80% of ALL individual and group/employers disability policies) is a company called Provident/Unum which has been sued so often in the past that they have been on 60 Minutes (for denying disability to an opthalmologic surgeon with Parkinson's disease, no less), sued by their own stockholders(for having too many cases against them when the two companies merged), and put on "probation" with all cases denied since 1997 being reopened by order of the State of California. This has all been well-covered by the LA Times.

I understand they were also sued for denying disability to a breast cancer patient, who won an ENORMOUS MULTIMILLION DOLLAR decision against them--they later tried to appeal, figuring they could OUTLAST HER!( I do not believe they did!)

So there are problems with both the private and governmental sector and how they interface.

A section/link on this website on disability laws might be helpful.

Yes indeed the ERISA laws only cover group employer provider disability insurance, private policies are not covered by those laws.

I am not an attorney--just recording what I have gleened over the years.

I hope this info helps someone and that Cynthia can make the right contacts to battle this. Tommy Thompson's wife and daughter both were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer while he served in the Cabinet. John Edward's wife, an attorney herself I believe was diagnosed just as the campaign was lost. Again, there are, thank God, many raising money and awareness regarding the need to fund breast cancer research. This bread and butter (and psyche) issue has not.

Off my soapbox for now!

Lani

PS Also tell your friends who are self-employed and who are in good health NOT to deduct their disability insurance premiums from their tax returns when they itemize--IF THEY DO, their monthly insurance payments will be taxed, IF THEY DO NOT, it will not. Most people find this out once it is too late.

02-05-2006, 08:13 PM	#30
Lani Guest Posts: n/a	We are off to a good start! Perhaps a good lawmaker to start with would be Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania. I believe it is his wife's (mother's?) name on the only Breast Cancer Center outside Walter Reed giving the her2neu vaccine both to metastatic patients and to early breast cancer patients. Also, I believe he got a lot of publicity recently as a Vietnam vet, so I am sure he understands disability. Another word of warning,however. The country's biggest nongovernmental disability insurance provider (selling 80% of ALL individual and group/employers disability policies) is a company called Provident/Unum which has been sued so often in the past that they have been on 60 Minutes (for denying disability to an opthalmologic surgeon with Parkinson's disease, no less), sued by their own stockholders(for having too many cases against them when the two companies merged), and put on "probation" with all cases denied since 1997 being reopened by order of the State of California. This has all been well-covered by the LA Times. I understand they were also sued for denying disability to a breast cancer patient, who won an ENORMOUS MULTIMILLION DOLLAR decision against them--they later tried to appeal, figuring they could OUTLAST HER!( I do not believe they did!) So there are problems with both the private and governmental sector and how they interface. A section/link on this website on disability laws might be helpful. Yes indeed the ERISA laws only cover group employer provider disability insurance, private policies are not covered by those laws. I am not an attorney--just recording what I have gleened over the years. I hope this info helps someone and that Cynthia can make the right contacts to battle this. Tommy Thompson's wife and daughter both were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer while he served in the Cabinet. John Edward's wife, an attorney herself I believe was diagnosed just as the campaign was lost. Again, there are, thank God, many raising money and awareness regarding the need to fund breast cancer research. This bread and butter (and psyche) issue has not. Off my soapbox for now! Lani PS Also tell your friends who are self-employed and who are in good health NOT to deduct their disability insurance premiums from their tax returns when they itemize--IF THEY DO, their monthly insurance payments will be taxed, IF THEY DO NOT, it will not. Most people find this out once it is too late.