Can You Lose Your Long-term Disability If You Are Terminated

[LOPSIDED]

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.

[tousled1]

I believe that you can continue on long term disability. In addition, you can apply for social security disability.

[Sheila]

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.

[mts]

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)

[tousled1]

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.

[Sheila]

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!

[tousled1]

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.

[Alice]

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.

[Sheila]

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.