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07-16-2006, 05:15 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: FLORIDA
Posts: 148
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Can You Lose Your Long-term Disability If You Are Terminated
I'M WORKING ON A PART-TIME BASIS AND WAS APPROVED FOR LONG-TERM DISABILITY AS LONG AS I WORK A LIMITED AMOUNT OF HOURS. I HAVE BEEN MAKING A LOT OF MISTAKES AT WORK. I WASN'T LIKE THIS BEFORE TREATMENT BUT I'M AFRAID CHEMO HAS TAKEN A TOLL ON ME. IF I WERE TO LOSE MY JOB DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT LONG-TERM DISABILITY. WOULD YOU LOSE ALL YOUR BENEFITS & MEDICAL INSURANCE? I'M THINKING ABOUT STAYING HOME AND CALLING MY EMPLOYER AND TELLING THEM I NOT WELL ENOUGH TO COME BACK TO WORK. I FEEL MY LAST MISTAKE WAS GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION.
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07-16-2006, 07:19 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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I believe that you can continue on long term disability. In addition, you can apply for social security disability.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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07-17-2006, 04:10 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Most companies will only pay long term disability for 2 years, then they will stop payment and try to "force you" back in the work place. The insurance company I was getting disability from, CIGNA, which is fairly big and based in California, made it mandatory for me to apply for Social Security Disability, which is kind of hard to get here in Illinois.....I did get awarded Social Security Disability, and then the insurance company decided that I am not disables, so they quit paying....that made a difference of 1800.00 a month in income for me...now I can either try to fight them by getting a lawyer or go back to work and see if I can still do it. I have been stage IV for 3 years.
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
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07-17-2006, 09:24 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 503
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Is your long term disability plan one that you pay for entirely or does your employer pay it? I have one of those that is portable (I can keep the policy effective as long as I make the monthly payment even if I no longer work a the place where I got the plan... )
I suggest looking at the current policy you have and reading the fine print. Is there anyone at your place of employment who had an illness and needed to use their disability insurance?
MTS (Maria)
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07-18-2006, 04:04 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Sheila: I had the same problem with CIGNA. I was on long term disability and they made me apply for social security. When I was approved CIGNA decided I was no longer disabled. It made a very big difference in my income and I ended up taking disability retirement. I should mention that my problem was lumbar spinal fusion (L3-S1). This happened in August and then in October I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Guess it all worked out for the best. Sure does make you wonder about CIGNA's thinking.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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07-18-2006, 06:23 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Kate
It definately makes you wonder. I am still getting SSD but nothing from Cigna...I don't know whether to take them to court...and give the lawyer some or just drop it and be happy with SSD.....like any of us need this added stress...the insurance companies just don't get it...I was let go from my employer after my FMLA ran out and I couldn't work 72 hours a week for them....then they offered me a job working with FEMA in Biloxi and New Orleans......assisting with medical care where there was none.....whee was I going to get my Herceptin if there was no medical care????????Yes, after all I paid into Cigna for this, they are not user friendly!
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
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07-18-2006, 08:55 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Acworth, GA
Posts: 2,104
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Sheila,
I too thought about taking CIGNA to court. My feeling is that if I was disabled enough to receive social security, I was certainly disabled enough to receive long term disability. I wasn't up to the fight at that time, so I just took retirement -- lost a lot of money. That's when I moved to GA and in with my daughter. Then I was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. I'm hoping that after I recover from radiation treatments that I'll be able to get out on my own again.
__________________
Kate
Stage IIIC Diagnosed Oct 25, 2005 (age 58)
ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3, Ploidy/DNA index: Aneuploid/1.61, S-phase: 24.2%
Neoadjunct chemo: 4 A/C; 4 Taxatore
Bilateral mastectomy June 8, 2006
14 of 26 nodes positive
Herceptin June 22, 2006 - April 20, 2007
Radiation (X35) July 24-September 11, 2006
BRCA1/BRCA2 negative
Stage IV lung mets July 13, 2007 - TCH
Single brain met - August 6, 2007 -CyberKnife
Oct 2007 - clear brain MRI and lung mets shrinking.
March 2008 lung met progression, brain still clear - begin Tykerb/Xeloda/Ixempra
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07-18-2006, 01:29 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: southern california
Posts: 287
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Can someone explaine how to get long term disability? I was on short term dis. thru the state which doesn't continue after one year. Now I'm finding it hard to work full time but don't know any other options.
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07-19-2006, 04:34 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Morris, IL
Posts: 3,507
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Alice
My company had short and long term disability plans, and I opted to pay for both, never thinking I would need them....usually, short term disability runs for 6 mons, then you roll into long term for 2 years minimum or until they decide you are no longer qualified.
__________________
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
Hugs & Blessings
Sheila
Diagnosed at age 49.99999 2/21/2002 via Mammography (Calcifications)
Core Biopsy 2/22/02
L. Mastectomy 2/25/2002
Stage 1, 0.7cm IDC, Node Neg from 19 nodes Her2+++ ER PR Neg
6/2003 Reconstruction W/ Tissue Expander, Silicone Implant
9/2003 Stage IV with Mets to Supraclavicular nodes
9/2003 Began Herceptin every 3 weeks
3/2006 Xeloda 2500mg/Herceptin for recurrence to neck nodes
3/2007 Added back the Xeloda with Herceptin for continued mets to nodes
5/2007 Taken Off Xeloda, no longer working
6/14/07 Taxol/Herceptin/Avastin
3/26 - 5/28/08 Taxol Holiday Whopeeeeeeeee
5/29 2008 Back on Taxol w Herceptin q 2 weeks
4/2009 Progression on Taxol & Paralyzed L Vocal Cord from Nodes Pressing on Nerve
5/2009 Begin Rx with Navelbine/Herceptin
11/09 Progression on Navelbine
Fought for and started Tykerb/Herceptin...nodes are melting!!!!!
2/2010 Back to Avastin/Herceptin
5/2010 Switched to Metronomic Chemo with Herceptin...Cytoxan and Methotrexate
Pericardial Window Surgery to Drain Pericardial Effusion
7/2010 Back to walking a mile a day...YEAH!!!!
9/2010 Nodes are back with a vengence in neck
Qualified for TDM-1 EAP
10/6/10 Begin my miracle drug, TDM-1
Mixed response, shrinking internal nodes, progression skin mets after 3 treatments
12/6/10 Started Halaven (Eribulen) /Herceptin excellent results in 2 treatments
2/2011 I CELEBRATE my 9 YEAR MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/5/11 begin Gemzar /Herceptin for node progression
2/8/2012 Gemzar stopped, Continue Herceptin
2/20/2012 Begin Tomo Radiation to Neck Nodes
2/21/2012 I CELEBRATE 10 YEARS
5/12/2012 BeganTaxotere/ Herceptin is my next miracle for new node progression
6/28/12 Stopped Taxotere due to pregression, Started Perjeta/Herceptin
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