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1222635 tn?1366396286

Has anyone been denied short term disability?

My employer offers group benefits for short term disability. I applied and was denied because of my anxiety. Has anyone ever been denied for that before? I am going to try the appeal process and hopefully I will be successful.
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1222635 tn?1366396286
sorry! my post wasn't very clear when i read it again. i want to have income while i'm on maternity leave. under my company policy, i receive 12 weeks of maternity leave, but it is not paid. we have a voluntary short term disability policy that we can enroll in, and it will pay you 60% of your income WHILE away on maternity leave. so i would get a check while staying home with the newborn. i applied in the even that i got pregnant, but i was denied because i have anxiety.
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
I understand, and yes it is frustrating for sure.  I guess I'm just a bit confused, do you want to take a leave to help get the anxiety under control, or to work on your TTC?

If you can swing being off for a short time without the disability coverage, you could always go the FMLA route.  That's a great option for people who need a LOA or who will need to be off work more frequently for whatever reason.

Hope it work outs hon!
Helpful - 0
1222635 tn?1366396286
thanks! im not off work right now. i just applied for coverage and was denied. it wasn't an application for benefits. i only really want the disability coverage because my husband and i are ttc, and my company's policy covers maternity leave at 60% of your weekly income. we have savings plans to cover my income during my maternity leave, so it's not that we're not prepared. its just that it would help us a lot of i had some type of income coming in. it frustrates me because i've never missed an hour of work because of my anxiety. i wish they would simply issue the policy and exclude anxiety related disability.
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
That's an excellent question!  I know it's very difficult to get long-term disability (like SSI) for anxiety, so I would imagine it would probably be just as hard if not harder to get short-term.

Have you read through your policy?  There may be some kind of exclusion already in the policy that you agreed to, which would make the appeal a moot point.  

Are you off work now?  What kind of work do you do?  Not at all suggesting you don't need the disability, but just one thing to mention...that OFTEN times, maintaining as much normalcy in our daily lives is one of the biggest things to help our anxiety.  I know that when I'm working, my overall anxiety is always much lower, because I am more motivated, more focused, and I'm in that secure routine.  Just something to think about.

Definitely let us know how it goes, and what you experience.  I'm very curious to see how this goes for you.  My fingers are crossed that you get somewhere with the appeal.
Helpful - 0
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