How To Get Cobra
Applying for short or long term disability insurance benefits should not be done alone
Group health plans must give covered employees and their families a notice explaining their COBRA rights. Plans must have rules for how COBRA coverage is offered, how beneficiaries may choose to get it and when they can stop coverage. For more COBRA information, see COBRA Premium Subsidy. The page links to information about COBRA including: Types Of Disability PoliciesThere are two types of disability policies.
Employers who offer coverage may provide short-term coverage, long-term coverage, or both. If you plan to buy your own policy, shop around and ask:
Following Up On A ClaimUnum will contact your physician to request additional information. If they don’t receive a timely response from your physician’s office, Unum may recommend that you contact your physician directly in order to expedite the request. Once your claim has been processed, you should call Unum directly with any questions you may have. Note that if your disability needs to be extended past the initial approval date, it is your responsibility to contact Unum and let them know that your status may need to be extended. Don’t Miss: What Is The Highest Paying State For Disability Psprs Dc Plan And Eodcrs MembersFor those enrolled in a Defined Contribution Plan The Town of Marana participates in the Long Term Disability plan with the Public Safety Retirement System defined contribution plans. Benefits are offered through Nationwide Eligibility: All Tier 3 Police Officers who have elected the defined contribution plan and Elected Officials newly appointed after 1/1/2014 who are enrolled in the defined contribution plan. Monthly Income Benefit: Please refer to your local board contact for additional information or contact PSPRS: for additional information. Elimination Period: Please refer to your local board contact for additional information or contact PSPRS: for additional information. What If Youre Still Not Ready To Go Back To WorkIf youre on short-term disability, your benefits will end when your predetermined time period is over or when you return to workwhichever comes first. But what if youve already maxed out your short-term disability benefits and you still cant head back into the office? Lets return to our example of missing out on work for major back surgery. Your doctor determined that youd need six months to fully recover, and your short-term disability plan approved you for that amount of time. However, you had some pretty significant complications with your surgery and your recovery. As the end of those six months draw near, its evident that you arent physically capable of sitting at a desk for eight hours each daythis is a problem that will plague you for a lot longer, perhaps even permanently. Now what? Are you just out of luck? If you have long-term disability benefits, it should be straightforward enough to transition into those benefits if you meet the new definition of disability for your long-term plan. The definition for disability under a long-term plan is typically subtly different than the definition for short-term disability. Some insurers require new paperwork from the claimant and new medical records before they will begin paying a long-term disability benefit, says McDonald. Read Also: What Is An Example Of A Disability When To Sign UpThe sooner you sign up for disability income insurance, the better. With employer-sponsored plans, you should sign up during your pre-enrollment period, also called the initial enrollment period. With other group policies, you may have to be a member of the group for a period of time before you can enroll in the plan. Once you become eligible to enroll, sign up as quickly as you can to avoid exclusionary periods or the exclusion of specific conditions. Some employers will only offer disability income insurance policies after you have worked for them for a set period of time, called a service wait or a minimum service requirement . Some policies also pay higher benefits for people who have worked for longer periods. Service waits are also common for group plans that are offered by unions and other organizations. Your eligibility to enroll may depend on how long you have been a member of the group. If you are interested in purchasing an individual policy, you should apply as young as possible. Young people pay lower premiums and if you purchase disability income insurance at a young age, you may be able to get a noncancelable policy, which means that your coverage cant be canceled. You also may be able to get a policy where your premiums cant be raised as long as you pay your premiums on time. If you have a dispute with a disability income insurance provider, you can file a complaint with the Arizona Department of Insurance. You can file a complaint if you: Apply For Benefits OnlineYou should apply for disability benefits as soon as you become disabled. Follow these easy steps to apply online for disability:
You can use the online application to apply for disability benefits if you:
You may be able to file online for SSI at the same time that you file for SSDI benefits. Once you complete the online process above, a Social Security representative will contact you if we need additional information. Read Also: Does Disability End When You Turn 65 The Disability Application ProcessWhether you apply online, by phone, or in person, the disability benefits application process follows these general steps:
To learn more about who decides if you are disabled, read our publication . Once You’ve AppliedOnce we receive your application, well review it and contact you if we have questions. We might request additional documents from you before we can proceed Look For Our ResponseYoull receive a letter in the mail with our decision. If you included information about other family members when you applied, well let you know if they may be able to receive benefits on your record. Check The StatusYou can check the status of your application online using your personal mySocial Security account. If you are unable to check your status online, you can call us 1-800-772-1213 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Appeal A Decision
Apply Online For Disability Benefits
Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability and Social Security Disability
Social Security offers an online disability application you can complete at your convenience. Apply from the comfort of your home or any location at a time most convenient for you. You do not need to drive to your local Social Security office or wait for an appointment with a Social Security representative. You can use the online application to apply for disability benefits if you:
We suggest that you have the following information at hand. It will make completing the application much easier. Information About You Information About Your Medical Condition Information About Your Work We may ask you to provide documents to show that you are eligible, such as: ImportantWe accept photocopies of W-2 forms, self-employment tax returns or medical documents, but we must see the original of most other documents, such as your birth certificate. Mailing Your DocumentsAfter we receive your online application, we will: Recommended Reading: What To Say To Get Disability Arizona No Longer Offers A State Supplement To The Federal Ssi Disability Payment Administered By Social SecurityBy Melissa Linebaugh, Contributing Author Filing for Social Security disability in Arizona is the same as in other states, since Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income are federal programs, but Arizona differs in how long a claim takes to be decided, how many disability claims are approved, and how appeals are processed. We discuss these differences in this article along with contact information for the various disability-related offices in Arizona. Short Term Disability Vs Long Term DisabilityThe main differences between short term and long term disability insurance are:
You shouldn’t skip long term disability insurance coverage in lieu of having just a short-term policy. Short term coverage will not be adequate in the event you suffer a serious injury or illness. Without long term coverage, you could find yourself without any kind of income after just a few months. The best strategy is to buy an individual long term disability insurance policy; then supplement it with any short term and/or long term group plans your employer may offer. By combining different types of coverage, you can protect your income against just about any type of injury or illness that would affect your ability to earn an income. Learn More:Short Term vs. Long Term Disability Recommended Reading: Can You Collect California State Disability And Social Security How Much Does Az Disability PayThe Social Security Administration awards SSI benefits based on its belief that the cost of basic needs is the same for people in similar circumstances, regardless of where a person lives. This monthly rate is called a Federal Benefit Rate . Every year, the government adjusts the FBR to account for a rise in the cost of living over time. This rate is the highest amount a person can receive. Your benefit may be lower, depending on your situation. Social Security Disability Insurance is calculated in a different way. Your maximum eligible benefit is based on how long you have worked and how much you have paid into Social Security through payroll taxes. The Social Security Administration uses a complex formula to determine your monthly benefits. This amount can be modified if you have other disability benefits or income. Whats It Like To Return To Work After ShortAs the above answer illustrates, depending on your disability, different logistical elements obviously need to be sorted out upon your return. But thats not the only factor at play heretheres also an emotional and relational element involved when you return to the office after an extended amount of time off. Most of it was just emotional and mental fatigue after having spent four months not really on a computer every day or using my brain in that kind of way, says Tiernan. There was the expectation that I was going to be able to jump back in right away, she adds. Looking back, I appreciate that now because I dont think I wouldve been able to transition as well as I had if it had been slow. In addition, companies arent stagnant and there are likely some larger changes that will happen while youre out on your leaveincluding employees leaving and new team members being added. There were shifts that occurred during my time gone, so I needed to readjust to the changes that had happened, Tiernan adds. Don’t Miss: What Is Considered A Disability In California Where Do I Apply For Disability Benefits In ArizonaThere are three ways to apply for disability regardless of where you live: online, in person at an Arizona field office, and by telephone. Online applications. Online applications are available for SSDI claimants only . To apply online for SSDI, visit www.ssa.gov/pgm/disability.htm. Applications by telephone. You can apply for disability benefits by phone at 800-772-1213 . If you are deaf or hearing impaired, call 800-325-0778. Local field offices. You can contact information for the Arizona Social Security field offices below. Before you go, you should call Social Security to schedule an appointment at the field office. After you submit your application, it is sent to Disability Determination Services , a state agency run by the Arizona Department of Economic Security . DDS decides whether you are medically disabled or not. Is Your Job Protected While You Take ShortUnlike a leave of absence you might take under the Family and Medical Leave Act , short-term disability doesnt offer any direct job protection. Many people are surprised to hear that you can legally be fired from your job while on leave, and you also arent entitled to the exact same position when you return. However, the Americans With Disabilities Act protects people who meet the ADAs definition of disability, and makes it far more challenging for companies who are covered by ADA to fire an employee due to their disability. Before terminating an employee, the company must first determine whether or not there are any accommodations they could make that would allow the employee to adequately do their job. The company must work with the employee to try several variations of accommodations in an effort to find something that works. If theres no reasonable way to enable that person to fulfill the essential responsibilities of their position, only then can the employer explore termination of the employee. Also Check: How To Increase Your Va Disability Rating Disability Advocacy Resources In ArizonaAssistance and advocacy for Arizonans with disabilities are available through: Arizona Center for Disability Law177 North Church Ave., Suite 800Tucson, AZ 85701520-327-9547 Voice/TTY800-922-1447 Voice/TTY While the Center for Disability Law will not represent you in getting disability benefits from Social Security, you can use our lawyer directory to arrange a consultation with a disability lawyer in Arizona.
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