Do you really think it's about not having an understanding of STD and LTD? I wouldn't for a second. PIP's are always a very deliberate and intentional action taken by your management.
Long Term Disablity change to Cigna, need help
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Do you really think it's about not having an understanding of STD and LTD? I wouldn't for a second. PIP's are always a very deliberate and intentional action taken by your management.
I am a Merck employee on LTD 9 mos. Contacted by Cigna certified mail of the movement from Met-Life to Cigna. They said in letter follow up to occur in 2011 regarding scheduling an independent exam and review of documentation of illness/injury. The letter sounded very threatening to me.
Cigna. . . bend over and kiss you benefits goodbye! Seriously, you need to get an attorney, all of your medical files and do NOT elaborate on anything to anyone over the phone or in any documentation - the less they are told the harder it will be to deny your claim. They will pick your claim apart like starved animals on a chicken bone. One mistake with a single word and DENIED will be stamped on there. I finally sunk into such a depression that I was going to kill myself and ONLY then did they put my benefits back only to dope me up and expect me to work on three powerful medications - where no one is supposed to drive! Why? Well, because they still denied my claim after three weeks due to the fact that I was receiving treatment. Heck, I could not even see straight or get out of bed. What a cluster Fck!
Oh, and once you are denied, no one will tell you for three months while you chalk up bills only to find out you OWE for everything and have NO income. Then, HR and Cigna will tell you to file an appeal and get an attorney. Where they have 90 days to review your appeal all the while you have no benefits and no income. It is the worst nightmare for anyone truly ill! All new medical bills and the attorney are your problem including figuring out how to survive without any income.
I know.
Best news of all is that when you finally come back (out of shear income desperation), you will be PIP'd!
. . . just makes me all warm and fuzzy about employers in the U.S.A.Won't it seem fishy if Metlife approved your disability claim and Cigna comes in and denies it? I'll bet some Senators involved in the recent hearings about LTD problems would be very interested in this. For now anybody on an LTD claim better have a very good attorney.
I was just approved for LTD 4 mos ago by Met-Life. So far no problems, so we will see what happens with Cigna. BTW, Merck has yet to pick up company car, computer, cell, printer etc. Anyone with experience with this do you keep everything until they ask for it?
Yes. It may depend on when/if your territory is filled by someone else. Generally sometime after 6 mos everything gets returned/collected. Your own-occ protection lasts for 24 mos. Beyond 24 mos is when any-occupation clause of your LTD plan applies which means unless you are severely disabled, you'll likely have your LTD benefit terminated along with your employment at Merck. You may be given the opportunity to return to work before facing terminiation but it usually won't be in your former assignment and your risk for termination increases. It can be a raw deal for someone physicially comprimised.
I am on LTD but have not received contact from anyone at Met-Life, or Cigna to date. The company car is still in my driveway after a year. Merck said I can still drive it and charge for gas. It usually is my husband that drives it, why not it's free and considering what I went through with Merck I will take it. The cell phone and computer were collected within 3 mos. Seem like someone has made a mistake on the car with the merger happening around the same time.
Merck told me I should absolutely not drive the company care while on LTD. Of course, I think most think if one is disabled they can't drive a car anyway. Is your disability permanent or are you planning to return to work at Merck if possible? Mine is permanent due to an accident and my driving has been permanently restricted.
Surely our employer, Merck, considered their disabled employees' best interests when selecting CIGNA for LTD claims administration........thanks Merck!
Long Term Disability Scams Committed by CIGNA
CIGNA has an MO for denying Long Term Disability claims. I believe it’s almost become a pattern and practice.
Common trends that we see in CIGNA Long Term Disability claims denial is:
1. Misrepresentation of the policy terms.
It’s not often that they’ll tell you that you are at the any occupation stage of the disability claim as opposed to your own occupation. They’ll even tell you that you have to apply for Social Security Disability, when the policy doesn’t actually require it.
It’s important in any CIGNA claim that you consult with an experienced CIGNA disability attorney such as Nancy Cavey who can review the denial letter and your policy to see whether or not CIGNA is playing fair.
2. Making decisions to terminate and then, only after the fact, gather evidence to justify the denial.
ERISA rules and regulations require a full fair review of your claim. CIGNA is a fiduciary, which means that they are supposed to be acting in your best interest in considering your disability claim. CIGNA, rather, has a history of denying the claim and then justifying your denial after the fact. If your CIGNA claim for disability benefits has been denied for just this reason your need legal representation.
3. Using a PAAF to misrepresent your functional capacity.
Any Long Term Disability carrier is going to deny your claim that there is medical evidence that you can work at least sedentary capacity. Sedentary is basically loosely defined as work that can be done sitting down, but which may involve standing and sitting, and upper body motion. CIGNA will take the medical records and cherry pick them so that they can conclude that you can work in at least a sedentary capacity.
Then they march blindly to a decision to terminate your benefits and, only after the fact, with one push justify their wrong decision.
If you are a CIGNA Long Term Disability carrier who has been ambushed by this pattern and
Practice, contact CIGNA disability benefits denied attorney Nancy Cavey. Don’t let CIGNA rob you of the benefits you deserve.
See all articles in: CIGNA Insurance Company
Long Term Disability Scams Committed by CIGNA
CIGNA has an MO for denying Long Term Disability claims. I believe it’s almost become a pattern and practice.
Common trends that we see in CIGNA Long Term Disability claims denial is:
1. Misrepresentation of the policy terms.
It’s not often that they’ll tell you that you are at the any occupation stage of the disability claim as opposed to your own occupation. They’ll even tell you that you have to apply for Social Security Disability, when the policy doesn’t actually require it.
It’s important in any CIGNA claim that you consult with an experienced CIGNA disability attorney such as Nancy Cavey who can review the denial letter and your policy to see whether or not CIGNA is playing fair.
2. Making decisions to terminate and then, only after the fact, gather evidence to justify the denial.
ERISA rules and regulations require a full fair review of your claim. CIGNA is a fiduciary, which means that they are supposed to be acting in your best interest in considering your disability claim. CIGNA, rather, has a history of denying the claim and then justifying your denial after the fact. If your CIGNA claim for disability benefits has been denied for just this reason your need legal representation.
3. Using a PAAF to misrepresent your functional capacity.
Any Long Term Disability carrier is going to deny your claim that there is medical evidence that you can work at least sedentary capacity. Sedentary is basically loosely defined as work that can be done sitting down, but which may involve standing and sitting, and upper body motion. CIGNA will take the medical records and cherry pick them so that they can conclude that you can work in at least a sedentary capacity.
Then they march blindly to a decision to terminate your benefits and, only after the fact, with one push justify their wrong decision.
If you are a CIGNA Long Term Disability carrier who has been ambushed by this pattern and
Practice, contact CIGNA disability benefits denied attorney Nancy Cavey. Don’t let CIGNA rob you of the benefits you deserve.
See all articles in: CIGNA Insurance Company
Library: Carrier Claims � View By Carrier
■Representing CIGNA Disability Insurance Policyholders
Description:
■CIGNA Featured in ABC News Article About Claims Practices and Denying Long Term Disability Benefits
Description:
■Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Claims and CIGNA
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■CIGNA’S Former Chairman Makes Out Like Bandit While Disability Applicants Suffer
Description:
■Long Term Disability Scams Committed by CIGNA
Description:
Appears the horrible stories about CIGNA are true.
■Representing CIGNA Disability Insurance Policyholders
Description:
■CIGNA Featured in ABC News Article About Claims Practices and Denying Long Term Disability Benefits
Description:
■Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Claims and CIGNA
Description:
■CIGNA’S Former Chairman Makes Out Like Bandit While Disability Applicants Suffer
Description:
■Long Term Disability Scams Committed by CIGNA
Description:
Appears the horrible stories about CIGNA are true.
I am on permanent disability, but confirmed with Merck that use of car ok including gas. I drive little to none, but husband drives it to work almost everyday and have included him on "Wheels" and paid the extra money for the spousal driver.
This is just WRONG!!! Merck provides company cars plus gas for those on LTD, WHY??? If you are on LTD your not coming back to work in almost 95% of all cases. This is one of many, many things wrong with this company and how they manage the balance sheet.
It's nuts I agree. Makes no sense and you are absolutely right about the fact that only rarely does somebody come back to work from LTD.
Little harsh for people that are hurt, or ill. But it does not make good business sense to have an employee on LTD with a company car. The liability to the company alone is a big reason. But more than anything else no one really comes back from long term disability. The company does not want them which is sad to say, but very true. For those of you on LTD I wish you the best and it is not your fault Merck is screwed up and giving free cars and gas to those on permanent leave with the company.
Unless its serious stuff I like to keep my aches and pains to myself.
Kind of hard when you've had to take medical leaves for post-surgical recoveries. You reach a point when your health means more than your work at Merck.
Well, if you can get disability when you are sick, good for you. My "disability" is an on again off again thing and it is not predictable and some days I feel pretty good. So, I work. I hate to say it but if Merck really knew how many days I am late or go home early because I am so sick, they would probably question my ability to do my job. The problem is I do not qualify for anything or any special treatment. There are a lot of people (especially as we age) who are just like me. We have a condition, it is sort of treatable but often flares up and leaves us sick for two to seven or eight days a month. I wish employers here in the U.S. really did not discriminate against people with health conditions but they do. Most of us just keep our mouths shut because we know we will be targeted if anyone finds out.
What is your condition - fibromyalgia or something?
You're right, they probably would. So how do you keep anyone from finding out? With that many days per month requiring limited or no work due to your illness, I'd think you'd at least qualify for LTD during the 24 month "own occ" period. Life is much too short to have to surrender so much time to an illness. Have you exhausted all diagnostic tools? Have you tried seeking treatment from a physician that specializes in functional medicine? They often are successful in at least improving the lives of patients with difficult to treat/diagnose conditions.
Believe me, I use all forms of medicine and alternative medicine to cope. I make up time by putting in 12 and 14 hour days when I'm doing well. My condition is permanent. There is really no treatment. I have seen some of the best docs in the U.S. I do not want to go out on LTD because that is like giving in to the disease. To give in is basically to give up, my diagnoses is accurate and I have five different specialists who treat me. It pretty much sucks.