By: Ilene Shiller, MSW, RSW. Case Manager, Money Matters Program. Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation
You’ve filled out the paperwork and been approved for long-term disability (LTD). So, now what? Your case manager at the insurance company will periodically ask for medical updates from you and your doctor. They are checking whether you continue to meet the definition of “disability” under your LTD policy. In many policies, for the first two years you will be considered to be disabled if you are unable to carry out the duties of your own job. Be prepared to tell your case manager not only about your current and upcoming treatments and tests, but also about any side effects that you are experiencing. Two important tips here: First, tell them how you feel on a “bad” day because it is the “bad” days that prevent you from working.
Second, describe the restrictions caused by your side effects. For example, it is not enough to say that you are tired. You need to give an example of the fatigue: “I am so tired that if I go to a medical appointment in the morning, I need to nap in the afternoon.” Use the same approach for all of your side effects. For example, “my lower back pain prevents me from standing for more than five minutes” or “my brain fog makes it difficult for me to recall words and to focus on more than one thing at a time”.
Once your treatment is over, your case manager will want to talk about your return to work. It is important to understand the mindset of the insurance company when it comes to returning to work. They are not prepared to wait until you are 100% better as they believe that if you have some capacity, you can do some work.
A vocational rehabilitation specialist from the insurance company will meet with you to assess your readiness for work. They will also design a gradual return to work plan, which is a schedule that gradually increases the number of hours and days you work until you reach full time hours and days. It is important for you to be an active participant in the design of your gradual return to work plan. If you have more energy in the afternoon, ensure that your first days of work start later in the day. If you want to avoid the stress of traffic, suggest that you work from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the first part of the schedule. Your input will help ensure a successful return to work.
*************
For further information about LTD, please watch Wellspring’s video series called “Understanding Long-Term Disability Benefits”. It is available free of charge at: https://wellspring.ca/understanding-your-long-term-disability-ltd-benefits/.
Wellspring’s Money Matters program helps cancer patients navigate the maze of income replacement options available if they are too ill to work. If you have questions about your LTD or other financial matters, please feel free to contact a Money Matters case manager: https://wellspring.ca/online-resources/money-matters/.
Wellspring also offers a six-week online Returning to Work program—an educational and support program designed to help cancer patients achieve a successful and sustained return to work following an absence due to cancer. For further information, visit https://wellspring.ca/online-resources/returning-to-work/.
Through a network of community-based support centres, Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation helps people living with cancer, as well as those who love them, overcome the many emotional, social, practical, informational and physical/functional challenges that typically follow a diagnosis. For further information, please visit www.wellspring.ca
