S/O Short Term Disability

greengirl0909

( I read the other posts and got some good info, but I was afraid you ladies with the knowledge might not go back in there!!)  I'm grateful for any knowledge you can share!

So with LO, I had a terrible time breastfeeding. I had a low supply so I had to nurse, then pump for 15. In the early months, it was at least an hour long process, then I started all over again an hour later. Fortunately my maternity leave ran into summer break and I made it work.

As we start looking to baby #2, I was thinking a 12 week maternity leave would be good to ensure me the time to get my BFing established if I have trouble again, but we can only afford to take the paid time off. I think we could make it work if I could get the STD to pay part of my salary for the remaining 6 weeks we could make it work.

Is this how short term disability can work?
Do you feel like these companies are out to try to trick people, like are they going to be sticky about denying a claim, or are they pretty good to work with?                I think my ob would write the note saying I needed the time home with my baby.   Can you utilize short term disability if you suffer from post partum depression?       

I'm grateful for any information you might be able to share as I navigate this new world. TIA!!               

DEBBIE33CASEY

I don't know if they'd consider that a disability or not. You'd have to check with your insurance carrier or ask your doc if he's seen it happen in the past. STD paid for 6 weeks of my leave, so if all else fails you can get 6 weeks.  I had to EP with my first b/c we had such trouble BFing. I am praying that won't happen again the second time around- I wish you the best of luck!!!

Mrs.S-S

Hi, a few things that I wanted to respond to in your post.

1) FMLA (the federal law) is unpaid. It just holds your job for 12 weeks (if you are eligible yadda yadda) without pay. Some employers require that you use vacation time concurrently with your FMLA leave so it may seem like some is paid.

2) That said, some states have STD through the state. Check your state on that one.

3) STD that you buy is usually through an employer. It is USUALLY only 6 weeks for vaginal and 8 weeks for a C - at a percentage of your pay. Does your employer offer this? Did you sign up for it. Many plans you have to be enrolled for 10 months (or some other amount of time) before it starts paying (thus you can't enroll when pregnant or even get pregnant like the day after).

4) If your employer does not offer this - you can find individual policies but they are few and far between. (I did find one, but it was pretty expensive but worth it for me). Ditto on the 10 month rule for this, too.

Hope some of that helps. (note - this is not legal advice, just "mom" advice :-)  )

greengirl0909

Mrs.S-S:

Hi, a few things that I wanted to respond to in your post.

1) FMLA (the federal law) is unpaid. It just holds your job for 12 weeks (if you are eligible yadda yadda) without pay. Some employers require that you use vacation time concurrently with your FMLA leave so it may seem like some is paid.

2) That said, some states have STD through the state. Check your state on that one.

3) STD that you buy is usually through an employer. It is USUALLY only 6 weeks for vaginal and 8 weeks for a C - at a percentage of your pay. Does your employer offer this? Did you sign up for it. Many plans you have to be enrolled for 10 months (or some other amount of time) before it starts paying (thus you can't enroll when pregnant or even get pregnant like the day after).

4) If your employer does not offer this - you can find individual policies but they are few and far between. (I did find one, but it was pretty expensive but worth it for me). Ditto on the 10 month rule for this, too.

Hope some of that helps. (note - this is not legal advice, just "mom" advice :-)  )

Thanks so much, I really appreciate your knowledge! If my doctor were to write a note, could I take the STD after I use up all my sick leave here at work? I'll have enough time to take my regular 6 weeks, but I was hoping to be able to take the full 12 offered by FMLA. 

2-Step

A few things. If you have paid maternity leave I believe some plans will still pay you disability for the first 6-8 weeks. That means you would get both your maternity pay (assuming your employer offers this as a benefit) and the disibility pay out for the first 6-8 weeks, but you can't ask them to pay you after your pay stops. Its a medical benefit that only pays while you are medically unable to work. Each plan is different but I know AFLAC pays regardless of any other income you have coming in at the time.

No insurance company would ever take a note from a doctor that says the mom needs more time with her baby as a reason for disibility pay. It has to be a medically valid reason and that has to be something you can prove makes it unable for you to physically work. I really don't think you should count on any insurance company extending your leave unless you have serious complications, even then it can be a battle. I believe even PPD must be diagnosed by a psychatrist and you probably need to be on a treatment plan with medication etc for it to be considered a disability. I hope you are not considering faking PPD to get disability, that is seriously upsetting. I hope that is not what you were trying to say, but it did sound like it. If that is the case then you should not be having a baby if you need to fake a medical condition to have enough money to make it work.

greengirl0909

2-Step:

A few things. If you have paid maternity leave I believe some plans will still pay you disability for the first 6-8 weeks. That means you would get both your maternity pay (assuming your employer offers this as a benefit) and the disibility pay out for the first 6-8 weeks, but you can't ask them to pay you after your pay stops. Its a medical benefit that only pays while you are medically unable to work. Each plan is different but I know AFLAC pays regardless of any other income you have coming in at the time.

No insurance company would ever take a note from a doctor that says the mom needs more time with her baby as a reason for disibility pay. It has to be a medically valid reason and that has to be something you can prove makes it unable for you to physically work. I really don't think you should count on any insurance company extending your leave unless you have serious complications, even then it can be a battle. I believe even PPD must be diagnosed by a psychatrist and you probably need to be on a treatment plan with medication etc for it to be considered a disability. I hope you are not considering faking PPD to get disability, that is seriously upsetting. I hope that is not what you were trying to say, but it did sound like it. If that is the case then you should not be having a baby if you need to fake a medical condition to have enough money to make it work.

I was previously diagnosed only by ob/gyn, and he prescribed medication. 

We're financially stable enough to afford the baby, just not for me to have 12 weeks off work unpaid! I mean, if something came up that I had to be (bedrest or something) we'd pull out of savings and make it work, but it would be an emergency situation like that.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

2-Step

guppysown@yahoo.com:

2-Step:

A few things. If you have paid maternity leave I believe some plans will still pay you disability for the first 6-8 weeks. That means you would get both your maternity pay (assuming your employer offers this as a benefit) and the disibility pay out for the first 6-8 weeks, but you can't ask them to pay you after your pay stops. Its a medical benefit that only pays while you are medically unable to work. Each plan is different but I know AFLAC pays regardless of any other income you have coming in at the time.

No insurance company would ever take a note from a doctor that says the mom needs more time with her baby as a reason for disibility pay. It has to be a medically valid reason and that has to be something you can prove makes it unable for you to physically work. I really don't think you should count on any insurance company extending your leave unless you have serious complications, even then it can be a battle. I believe even PPD must be diagnosed by a psychatrist and you probably need to be on a treatment plan with medication etc for it to be considered a disability. I hope you are not considering faking PPD to get disability, that is seriously upsetting. I hope that is not what you were trying to say, but it did sound like it. If that is the case then you should not be having a baby if you need to fake a medical condition to have enough money to make it work.

I was previously diagnosed only by ob/gyn, and he prescribed medication. 

We're financially stable enough to afford the baby, just not for me to have 12 weeks off work unpaid! I mean, if something came up that I had to be (bedrest or something) we'd pull out of savings and make it work, but it would be an emergency situation like that.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Sorry I didn't mean to offend you, but it sounded like you might be grasping for reasons to get your disability extended and the reality is that it is very hard to get an insurance company to extend disability without a serious medical condition. If you were diagnosed before then I would check with your insurance provider because they probably have provisions for what you need to get in place to be covered for a psychiatric condition. They are very much sticklers for proper paperwork and diagnosis so be sure you have all the details. I'm glad that isn't what you are doing, but I know people who have done things like this and it just makes me sick for those people who actually suffered PPD for anyone to fake it.  If you were on bedrest then your insurance would pay, so it would be worth it to have some either way.

greengirl0909

2-Step:

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 Sorry I didn't mean to offend you, but it sounded like you might be grasping for reasons to get your disability extended and the reality is that it is very hard to get an insurance company to extend disability without a serious medical condition. If you were diagnosed before then I would check with your insurance provider because they probably have provisions for what you need to get in place to be covered for a psychiatric condition. They are very much sticklers for proper paperwork and diagnosis so be sure you have all the details. I'm glad that isn't what you are doing, but I know people who have done things like this and it just makes me sick for those people who actually suffered PPD for anyone to fake it.  If you were on bedrest then your insurance would pay, so it would be worth it to have some either way.

Not offended, grateful for any information people have to share! Do you think with having a previous diagnosis, they would consider that pre-existing? I just hate to sign up for the service and pay the premiums, then not be able to use it, you know?

2-Step

guppysown@yahoo.com:

2-Step:

  [

 Sorry I didn't mean to offend you, but it sounded like you might be grasping for reasons to get your disability extended and the reality is that it is very hard to get an insurance company to extend disability without a serious medical condition. If you were diagnosed before then I would check with your insurance provider because they probably have provisions for what you need to get in place to be covered for a psychiatric condition. They are very much sticklers for proper paperwork and diagnosis so be sure you have all the details. I'm glad that isn't what you are doing, but I know people who have done things like this and it just makes me sick for those people who actually suffered PPD for anyone to fake it.  If you were on bedrest then your insurance would pay, so it would be worth it to have some either way.

Not offended, grateful for any information people have to share! Do you think with having a previous diagnosis, they would consider that pre-existing? I just hate to sign up for the service and pay the premiums, then not be able to use it, you know?

My personal opinion is that it wouldnt be pre-exisiting because you don't have it when you sign up for the insurance, but I am not a professional so that would be a question for your insurance rep. The reps really do want you to get what you need out of the coverage and they can give you good advice. Personally I would go to a doctor before you apply for coverage and have them document that you are no longer suffering from PPD. It's all about documentation in the insurance biz and sometimes that is all it comes down to on denying or passing a claim through.