ERISA is federal statute which regulates most, but not all, group employee benefits. Thus, most employer-provided or employer-sponsored group benefits are subject to ERISA. Benefit claims subject to ERISA require submitting an internal or administrative appeal...
Chronic fatigue syndrome can be difficult to prove
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) may affect up to 2.5 million Americans according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unfortunately, many people who suffer from the illness may not know they do. As of now, there is no...
Long-term disability denials often deny plain facts
There are laws "on the books" meant to guarantee your long-term disability insurance will be there for you if you're unable to work due to a health condition. But too often, laws are one thing and business is another. A Chicago CBS affiliate recently profiled Glenn, a...
Improve your chances for ERISA claim approval
The intention of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is to protect employees who work for private companies and receive benefits from their employers versus their own personal insurance company. Prior to this act, each state had their own regulations...
The most common reasons for long-term disability claims
Many people don't realize the types of disabilities most likely to affect them. While serious injuries from car wrecks or home accidents jump to mind, those generally represent a much smaller portion of causes for long-term disability claims than you might guess. The...
What are my options after a long-term disability claim is denied?
Long-term disability insurance is supposed to be your safety net. If something happens and you can no longer work, you expect your employer-offered plan to be there. Because of this, having an insurance company deny or terminate your disability benefits can be...
Filing a long-term disability claim due to rheumatoid arthritis
Many people who don't have rheumatoid arthritis struggle to understand the impact it can have on a person's life. It's not just aching joints - an autoimmune disease, it can lead to joint deformity, weight loss, difficulty moving and fatigue. All of these symptoms can...
Sleep apnea sometimes unacknowledged despite ERISA
If you have or think you may have, or have been diagnosed with, sleep apnea, you probably know it's often not often taken seriously. If another condition caused headaches in the morning, insomnia at night, difficulty staying awake during the day, an inability to...
Recent breakthrough may help victims of fibromyalgia
If you have fibromyalgia, you know how painful and crippling it can be to suffer from constant cramps, aches, numbness and fatigue. And you likely know how hard it can be to convince others your invisible pains are real. Fortunately, a recent breakthrough from the...
ERISA should provide for your mental health
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the purpose of this month is to increase the visibility of mental health issues. It also has a goal of reducing the stigma that often surrounds mental illnesses. For a long time, that stigma influenced employers as well....