Don has recieved short term disablity benefits from his employer paid disabilty insurance company. "Met Life" Now he has been awarded his SSDI retro to November last year and his brother says he will have to PAY BACK all that short term now!!! I say BULL! His company paid premiums to have that benifit for him and Don paid Social Security "premiums" for 35 years so he'd have "SOCIAL SECURITY". He is entitled to both. Why could another insurance "pull out" because of a federal program. There has to be a law. Just as if he purchased life insurance from two differant companies, both would have to pay. Besides he had to pay taxes on those benefits because he didn't have to pay the premium. Could any Union contract LEGALLY reqire repayment. NOT FAIR

Hi,

It isn't fair, but Heather had a similar situation. Her Social Security disability was granted retroactive to the start date of her long term work disability. She had to pay back the work disability, but only up to the SSDI amount. She had received about $100 more per month from the work plan and that didn't have to be paid back.

We were told by the company that provided the work disability policy that she HAD to apply for SSDI once her short term (6 month) policy was done. If she didn't, they could refuse to pay her disability even though she paid part of the premiums.

I always thought that SSDI was for people who didn't have other coverage, but it seems like the insurance companies are allowed to force you to take the SSDI once you become eligible. It doesn't make sense, but that's the way this crazy country works. Her company did continue to pay the extra $100 per month that was over the SSDI payment.

I don't know the legality of all this. We were so overwhelmed with her recurrence and rapid decline that I just didn't have the time nor inclination to question it. Just doing the SSDI application was a major pain in the neck. I guess if you want to be sure, you would have to call a lawyer.

Good luck,
Rosie

Karen,

Just put that crap out of your mind right now. It is not important for the moment and the insurance company sure can't take money out of his bank account. Get back to it later and give Don all your attention right now.

A lot of insurance policies will have to spell out what they will and won't do so you can request it later. In my case, the short term disability was self-funded by my employer and they just decided that they would stop paying me and I had no recourse since it was self-funded. The company then went out of business before my long-term disability kicked in and when I tried to file they said they made it clear that they would cover anything except my cancer since it was during the sixty days prior to my disability date. I had a letter that said I was covered and I paid the premiums for nothing. I hope Don's situation is better than that.

Ed

Hi

I have been reading this site due to my husband had tongue stage 3 cancer and my daughter is writing getting help for us but I read this topic and Yes insurance companies will ask for some money back when you receive your SSDI. I have been on Long Term Disability for Cervical Myelopathy and degenerative disc disease. I paid extra for LTD when I was working. What's funny is when you pay for this they don't tell you that you might and might not receive it. I have Met Life and I've had to fight to receive this and keep it all these years. If they accept you you will receive 65% of your wages and once SSDI accepts you they will estimate how much they give you and the insurance company will pay the difference up to 65% of your wages. When you receive your SSDI check it is back pay because you were already paid by the insurance company so you will owe them. Once all that is settled the hard part is all the forms MetLife will be sending you throughout the year to make sure you are still disabled. My lawyer and doctor told me they pay someone to go thru your file to find any good response to your health and will cancel you and the insurance company know many people are afraid to fight an insurance company and they win without a fight. The lawyer will get his share of the money but at least you win back your rightful benefits.