Losing Well Part 22

Continuation of my series, Losing Well. Part 1 can be found here.


December 2015
2013 was my first full year on disability. But it didn’t really feel like my time was idle. I was raising kids, doing housework, helping with homework. It was a busy time. I didn’t find it as intellectually challenging as work. I also didn’t find it as stressful.

Kate’s consulting business started to take off. She was able to make up most of the family income that I’d lost by going on disability. And she seemed a lot happier to be working than staying at home. She’d gotten bored and now she was working for herself. I was a bit envious.

My LTD insurance agent had been telling me that I had nothing to worry about. I’d cleared the investigation. At 18 months I’d be put onto “long term maintenance.” So I wasn’t too worried about my finances. I was amazed that they had spent so much money on my case. I guess they'd been hoping to catch me driving a car. I'm dumb not suicidal.


April 9, 2014
I was using my cane and somebody stopped to ask me driving directions. How desperate are you? But I was able to give directions.


May 23, 2014
Upon request of my medical physician, I went to an Urgent Care to get a Tetanus shot for a minor cut on my leg. I totally didn’t see that metal can. I should always use my cane. Arrogance will give you lockjaw.


July 11, 2014
Some loser came at me with a four letter tirade about how I shouldn't fake being blind. I didn't take it well. I thought he was going to sucker punch me. These guys are always the same. And the older I get the less patience I have.


December 2015
In July of 2014 I was told that I had a new LTD agent. He told me that he that my vote to go onto long term maintenance wasn't a sure thing. He was reviewing my case and everything was back on the table. This was not welcome news. It threw everything back into flux.


August 4, 2014
My new agent just told me that "If I had your skill set I would have found a way to adapt to losing my vision." An interesting way to try and shame me for my disability.


August 15, 2014
Appointment made to get new glasses to replace broken pair. Kids + disability = expensive.


December 2015
In September of 2014, my agent called to tell me that there had been a round table vote on if I would go on long term maintenance. He said there was one vote against - the vocational rehab case worker thought I should still be able to work. This contradicted a written statement from my Retina Specialist Ophthalmologist. She apparently knew more than my eye doctor. 

The way my insurance policy was written, I had to prove that I couldn’t do any job, not just prove I couldn’t do the job I was working. In theory this meant my insurance company could force me to work at a fast food restaurant. My agent told me that if the vocational rehab coordinator could find a job for me within a sixty mile radius of my home, they’d cut me if I didn’t apply for it. My response was to ask them what job they thought I could work. He couldn’t name one. Then I asked him how I’d get to the job. He said the way the contract was written, transportation isn’t a consideration. Transportation and childcare would be my expense. Even if I was working a minimum wage job. There’s no way I could afford to get a job. 


September 12, 2014
The ERSIA [Employee Retirement Income Security Act] lawyer I spoke to today said that of all the people he's spoken to this week, I'm the one he thinks won't have any problem. He told me not to comply with my insurance company requests unless they were in writing.


October 8, 2014
Got a letter today that indicated my insurance company has been accessing my general health medical history. I’d told them not to back in 2012. The letter indicates that they had been violating my HIPPA rights for the past 11 months. When I called, they stated they had not been and that the letter was sent in error. Because they’re so trustworthy, I believe them.


Part 23 can be found here.

Silence As Victory

So I've been on private long term disability insurance for several years. I'm also on government disability. The government has been chill. They haven't gone out of their way to make my life hard. My private insurance company has been making me jump through hoops. They've treated me like I'm trying to defraud them. They've been so horrible it makes me wonder if they ever pay out. I'd love to see the percentages.

For years I've been doing tasks the insurance company assigned me. But for the first time I don't have any outstanding hurdles. They sent me to the State blind services a few months back hoping to get confirmation that I should go work at a menial job. The State disagreed and, at least of right now, the insurance company has no plan for me.

I assume my insurance company is regrouping for another angle. Or they've given up fighting? Hard to believe that. But it's not like they'll call to tell me I've beaten them. It's been a month since they called. Maybe silence is victory.