Re: glitch

[Guest guest]

OK, now that we got Alyssa's glitch covered, I think I have one of my own. I

am scheduled for surgery Dec. 18th, but on Nov. 15th, I got laid off. Well,

I reviewed my disability policy (which I bought, not thru my employer) and it

says

Definition of Total Disability and Totally Disabled -

1. unable to work at his or her occupation

2. not working at his or her place of employment for pay or benefits

3. unable to work at any occupation for which he or she is qualified by

reason of education, training and experience and

4. under the appropriate care of a physician

OK, were I working, I think I would have no problem with the above. However

inside the booklet, this is what it says about unemployment:

Total Disability and Totally Disabled is defined the in the Schedule if the

insured was employed on the date disability began

If the insured was unemployed or working fewer than 10 hours a week for pay

or benefits on the date the disability began, such Insuredd will be

considered Totally Disabled if the insured in under the appropriate care of a

physician and either:

1. is unable to perform two (2) or more Activities of Daily Living without

Stand-by Assistance; or

2 suffers from a Cognitive Impairment

the Activities of Daily living include bathing without assitance, dressing

without assistance, and toileting, ability to get to and from toilet without

assistance of another person.considered able even if using a bedpan or urinal

and able to empty or clean without assistance (this sums it up - not exact

terminogy)

So - it appears as though I have to be working at least 10 hrs per week to

qualify except for the very strict guidelines.

Also - since I lost my job and now have COBRA and that is costing me more

money than it cost for insurance when I was working.....and since I HAVE to

pay my COBRA so insurance will pay for my surgery....if I am not working and

unable to collect unemployment (because you have to be able to work every day

of the week to collect, and obviously if you are in the hospital having

surgery, you are not able) and if I am unable to collect disability, then I

do not have enough money to pay COBRA.

Therefore, it seems to me like I might have to wait a month and

reschedule....because by then I could have 4 more weeks unemployment (because

I was able to work and not in hospital or healing), could pay my COBRA and

will be signed up with my school system to substitute teach, whereby I would

hope that I was working more than 10 hrs per week.

My boss really did me a number by laying me off a week after I asked for time

off for surgery - and his #$*%(^* company is so small I can't get him on

Family Leave Act.

What would you guys do?

I haven't even called Dr. Hess' office to ask about rescheduling, because the

lovely nurse there will probably bite my head off and I have no idea if they

even have any openings at this point in January and he is leaving town in

Feb. and part of March.

So I might end up with Oakley after all, which at this point, would be ok.

I need some advice!

Carole