STD to LTD Question

What is the name of your state? Minnesota

My wife is currently on STD. Her STD and LTD plans are through the same insurance company and they provide automatic roll over to LTD at the end of STD if it is considered medically necessary (certified).
There is a possibility she may be terminated while on STD. Will she still be able to get the LTD if it could be approved, or does the termination end the LTD coverage?

All we know is that claims are covered if they are filed while you are employed, and since you do not need to re-apply for LTD at the end of STD (due to rollover) we are unsure what the answer is.

HR has been unresponsive. If we talk to the disability insurance carrier would they know?

TIA!

Well, unles she becomes eligible for LTD before the expiration date of her health insurance coverage, no, she will not be able to get it. For example, if she is fired on the 15th, and the employer keeps all insurances active until the last day of the month, and she becomes eligible before the last day of the month, she is eligible for the coverage. However, if she is fired on the 15th and the coverage ends on the 15th, unless she becomes eligible before then, she is SOL.

I do not agree with moburkes (rare, but it happens )

It is rare to the point of being almost unheard of that when an STD and LTD are with the same company and there is an automatic rollover feature, that the termination of employment cancels the LTD coverage.

Since most plans of this nature have a minimum of 13 weeks for the STD plan (and often as long as 26 weeks) and since the longest an employer has to hold a job in these cases is 12, if the LTD automatically terminated with employment there would be no point in having it in the first place.

I have personally seen employees whose employment was termed while on STD and who still were able to collect from the LTD policy.

A disability insurance carrier generally follows the understanding that once they have accepted the claim, it's theirs regardless of the status of the employee's - er- employment.

Disagree away. You were speaking from a practical standpoint, and I was speaking from a legal standpoint. The ONLY thing I knew was that it isn't illegal. What you pointed out was that it is common for it to continue, which is excellent news for the OP. Thanks!!

Agree with cbg

If your wife goes out on disability and remains disabled and on STD when the employer terminates employment after 12 weeks, you still receive the STD through term and will be (should be) instructed by the HR department how to apply for LTD - should her disability be deemed long-term.

I know this because I've been through this.

I was on STD and was terminated after 12 weeks. After the STD ran out I was told how to apply for LTD. The health insurance did convert to Cobra.

Now, one thing to check. Something I just found out from my attorney as I am in the middle of the California Reassessment case with Unum...

Apparently, and this may depend on what State you are in, if someone goes out on disability and remains disabled the health insurance is supposed to continue through the disability (LTD) until the person is eligible for Medicare/Medicaid. The employer keeps (even if terminated) the insurance policy for the insured but the insured is responsible for the premiums (so it must be the Cobra policy I believe).

My case is 10 years back. I was not told this at the time and eventually ran out of my Cobra and had no insurance for some time with a serious medical issue. We are in the process of settling my case and in the settlement is the question of how much medical care I did not receive because my insurance wasn't maintained and how much extra I had to pay because of it. We have to put a value on that for the settlement.

The HR department should answer all these questions for you. Keep calling them. Sometimes the STD and LTD are not the same company. Ask about the health insurance too. In fact, go through the Companies policy and benefits package to see what benefits continue through a disability. There should be a section specifically for LTD. She may be qualified for more than just health insurance. Also ask for the LTD policy as well and read it front to back. Don't let SSDI offsets catch you in the rear by surprise. That is a bit OT but I see it happen a lot.

Take care.