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Did your Short Term Disability cover your Plastic Surgery recovery time?

Deb P.
on 8/28/08 1:09 am - MN
So I am trying to figure out if anyone has experience with short term disability insurance and whether or not it covers recovery time for an elective surgery. 

I have spoken to the company and they said no, but they covered it for my Gastric Bypass.  I have an email into my employer and I will be contacting the doctor directly as well to get their experience, but I wanted to check to see if anyone has any experience directly.

I am going for a LBL and a Breast Augmentation, and I am looking to 6 weeks of recovery.
Redhaired
on 8/28/08 1:17 am - Mouseville, FL
Is any of your plastics covered by insurance?  If so they are probably calling it medically  necessary and that could make a big difference to the disability folks. 

  

 

 

Deb P.
on 8/28/08 1:34 am - MN
None of them are, it is all purely elective. 
joychaser
on 8/28/08 1:57 am - MI
Start saving girl! I just went through my own personal hell with this. My tummy tuck was deemed medically necessary by my family doc. However my health insurance thought otherwise because my pannus did not hang below my pubis so I was a self pay.

I have NEVER used short term dissability and figured I would have no problem. I was ignorant and though, "If I cannot work I cannot work-it is a srugery regardless of the type" BOY was i wrong. I am a single parent of a 7 year old little girl. I took a month off from work. The first two weeks I used vacation time and the second two weeks i wanted to use short term. (Not eligible for STD until 14 days off work consecutively) They denied me stating it was not medically necessary.

Mind you that is 80 hours without pay which equals about 3 house payments for me..so I was in a heap of trouble. I had to fight and fight hard and with the help of my doctor I will be paid. it is only 60% of my pay but it sure is better than nothing. If I would have known I would have handled it all very differently....so be careful and make sure it is considered necessary before you apply for STD (bad initials for short term I realize) GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!1
From 251 to 141 and LOVING every minute of it! From a size 18 to a size 6-8!
I can finally SPREAD my wings again!
corinnaq
on 8/28/08 2:38 am - Woodinville, WA
I'd submit a request and perhaps try to get away with not saying exactly what the procedures are for.  Since they did cover you for GB (which I assume was considered elective as well with your insurance) it seems like they might cover it here.  At the very least be sure to use words like "reconstructive" instead of cosmetic or plastic surgery.

I am only taking three weeks off and working the last two from home because I pretty much just sit at a computer all day so I am not using mine.

Good luck!
Corinna Q
Sydney53
on 8/28/08 7:51 am - a nice little town, CT
I used short term disability and took an FMLA from work.  My PS wrote "recostruction" and also listed the procedures--brachioplasty, mastopexy, abdominoplasty.  I have had no trouble at all.


Sydney

EugeniaM
on 8/28/08 8:23 am
My company does allow you to use STD for plastic surgery, however you have to exhaust all your vacation time first.  I think you are dong the right thing by sending them an email before hand that way there are no surprises.

Met goal weight of 195 lbs March 2008
Life is a journey.....not a race      
Eugenia
Kaylynne
on 8/28/08 8:46 am - ~, WA
My STD was excellent.  They cover for anything that a doctor signs you out for, stating you're not able to work.  I was supposed to be out 6 wks, ended up being 12 and had no issues with them. 

Good luck. 
Kim

I childproofed my whole house, but they STILL get in!
 

branranrohm
on 6/2/17 12:33 pm
VSG on 01/13/14

Who was your STD with?

Deb P.
on 8/28/08 11:42 pm - MN
Thank you all for your words.  I have gotten some reassurances from both my company and others that they will cover.  As someone said its all based on the doctors recommendation.

Well I am going to schedule it!  LBL and BA for Early October!  WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
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