Short Term Disability Question

egw9457 · January 2013

I recently applied for short term disability during open enrollment at my workplace (I work for a hospital system) This was back in Mid-November. I elected to have short term disability insurance. I found out I was pregnant at the end of December. The short term disability is not deducted from my paycheck until January. I am concerned I won't be able to use this wafted I deliver. I plan to use FMLA. Has anyone had a similar experience with STD or have any knowledge of how this works? Thanks so much!

kpahl · January 2013

When you applied for STD during open enrollment it's for your new benefit year 2013. So it wasn't supposed to start until January. You can only change benefits mid year with a qualifying event marriage and child birth typically.

ASmallWonder · January 2013

Without knowing the specifics of your plan, generally you have to have the coverage prior to being diagnosed with the medical condition you hope to use it for. So if your plan follows the general rules, no, you wouldn't be able to make a claim for your maternity leave.

ASmallWonder · January 2013

msspeedymarie:
elmoali:
Without knowing the specifics of your plan, generally you have to have the coverage prior to being diagnosed with the medical condition you hope to use it for. So if your plan follows the general rules, no, you wouldn't be able to make a claim for your maternity leave.
That might depend on if "found out I was pregnant" means, got a positive on a pee stick, or was confirmed by a doctor. If OP didn't see a doctor until Jan to confirm pregnancy, the argument can be made that she wasn't "diagnosed" as pregnant until then.
Talk to your HR people - they can tell you what the requirements of your specific plan are, and they are not allowed to talk to your boss or anyone about anything medical.

I'm not saying it's not possible but unlike a lot of other medical conditions, it's fairly easy to determine if a person was pregnant on a certain date. Like, you can't say "This person definitely had cancer last month." But a doctor can say "You are 9 weeks along, therefore were pregnant in December." kwim? But I agree, she needs to check because there isn't 1 definite answer.

MrsSteSte · January 2013

Do we work at the same place?! lol I'm in the same situation. However, I looked into a lot of the small print as I was evaluating different STD options, since we were already TTC.

For the plan I ended up going with, any condition that "starts" in the 12 months prior to plan start (Jan 1 for us, too) is considered pre-existing, and only pays out at 50%. I also believe maternity benefits for pre-existing pregnancies have a max pay out of 6 weeks, instead of 8 for full coverage (depending on delivery type).

I'd check with your HR. I know I'll still have SOME coverage, which is better than nothing. But damn our timing! lol

rissa06 · January 2013

kpahl:
When you applied for STD during open enrollment it's for your new benefit year 2013. So it wasn't supposed to start until January. You can only change benefits mid year with a qualifying event marriage and child birth typically.

this and depending on the stipulations of the plan will depend on if your pg is covered or considered a prexisting condition. Call HR.

aessary03 · January 2013

If you signed up during open enrollment but the benefit doesn't go into a effect until January, you will likely not qualify to use it during your pregnancy because it's now a pre-existing condition. The best thing you can do is call your plan administrator and find out the exact terms. I do, however, know that's how my STD works ....

bananatiff · January 2013

My workplace did an open enrollment for STD for the first time this year. It's always an apply whenever and then you can collect down the road if you were enrolled before the condition (aka I enrolled a month before getting pregnant last time, so I was able to collect after the birth). But this year was different and ours negates if you were pregnant before the enrollment, as long as it was before January 1st. Make sense? Perhaps yours is the same and it's something relating to the new federal standards?

capetruso · January 2013

It totally depends on your plan-talk to your HR department. Some STD plans require you to have the coverage for a minimum time frame before being able to utilize the benefits. Good luck!

anvloveskme · January 2013

My plan requires that coverage be effective for 10 months prior to delivery. I believe there are exceptions for preterm labor which also includes nicu coverage.

lynn97 · January 2013

I agree with everyone else it depends on the plan. I'm pretty sure the Aflac plan I looked at with my old employer had an 18 or 24 month restriction until it could be used as in, I couldn't draw from it until I had it for 18 or 24 months. But I'm sure it depends on the plan.

lynn97 · January 2013

Also, FMLA just guarantees you a set amount of time off and that your job will be held. It isn't a paycheck, though. If I recall correctly, it guarantees a minimum of 6 weeks off for a vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for csection. You can take off more time if your employer is amiable to you doing so.

lynn97 · January 2013

GhostMonkey:
lynn97:
Also, FMLA just guarantees you a set amount of time off and that your job will be held. It isn't a paycheck, though. If I recall correctly, it guarantees a minimum of 6 weeks off for a vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for csection. You can take off more time if your employer is amiable to you doing so.
No. You can take 12 weeks if your employer likes it or not. I was still at 6 weeks with a c-section.
 

Gotcha.

anvloveskme · January 2013

Alicia0817:
anvloveskme:
My plan requires that coverage be effective for 10 months prior to delivery. nbsp;I believe there are exceptions for preterm labor which also includes nicu coverage.

AFLAC
Colonial ? That's my terms too

zoieglow · January 2013

FMLA applies only if you have worked full time for at least a year at a company with 50 employees or less.

With outside STD plans like aflac, they usually put maternity benefits on hold for 10 months from the policy effective date. I get STD through my company and it's effective immediately which is usually the way internally offered STD benefits are.

Short Term Disability Question

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