Short-term disability insurance plans provide benefits if you’re unable to work due to an injury or illness. It’s different from workers’ compensation insurance that only provides coverage if you’re injured on the job. Disability insurance covers you when you get injured or become ill and can no longer perform the duties basic of your job. Seltzer & Associates is representing essential frontline workers, like healthcare professionals, claim and receive disability insurance benefits. If you’ve developed a disorder, like anxiety, depression, PTSD, or addiction, as a result of your COVID-19-related work, you may qualify for disability insurance benefits. Speak with a […]

To our COVID-19 frontline workers in Philadelphia and across the country, we see you and value the work you’re doing for our communities. Our country has never seen a medical crisis of this magnitude, and we are learning together that the services of our frontline workers are more critical than we previously acknowledged.   For the doctors and nurses, police officers and health department officials, for the paramedics social workers, journalists and delivery men and women – we salute you and your essential efforts to combat the coronavirus and keep America up and running.  Disability Insurance Benefits for Healthcare Workers Each […]

A sudden condition or medical issue can devastate an employee’s career and cause financial problems. For example, a physician who has a debilitating heart attack and suffers a reduction of heart function that prevents her from being able to work will experience lost income and unplanned medical expenses for hospitalization, outpatient treatment, rehabilitation, prescriptions, etc. Long term disability insurance exists for scenarios like this one, where an employee is no longer able to complete their essential job duties due to a medical issue, psychiatric impairment, addiction or other disabling condition. Disability Insurance is Not the Same as Workers’ Compensation Long term […]

Seltzer & Associates is accepting coronavirus-related disability claims from healthcare workers and medical professionals dealing with COVID-19 patients.

In addition to the additional burden of worrying about prolonged exposure to the virus and what that means for them and their families, many medical professionals are facing COVID-19 disability claim denials.

Disability Insurance Claims Being Rejected for COVID-19 Medical Professionals If you are a doctor or other medical professional with a health-compromising condition that could result in long-term disability or death if you are exposed to patients with COVID-19, be forewarned: insurance companies are beginning to challenge claims filed by medical professionals seeking disability benefits as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.  Physician Disability and COVID-19 Many physicians who have underlying physical and mental health conditions cannot safely work in an environment where close contact with patients puts them at risk for developing complications from the Coronavirus. Insurance companies are closely […]

Unum, one of the largest disability insurance companies in the United States, recently released their list of the top causes of disability in 2017 for claims filed with its company. According to Unum, the leading causes of long-term disability claims in 2017 were cancer, back disorders, injury, cardiovascular, and joint disorders. Injury, joint disorders, and cancer, along with pregnancy and digestive system, were also the leading causes of short-term disability claims in 2017. Cancer One in two men and one in three women in the United States are at risk of developing cancer in their lifetime. The most common types […]

As I have previously explained, in December 2016 the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) released a new rule amending 29 C.F.R. §2560.503-1, the federal regulations for claims procedures of ERISA-governed disability insurance plans. These rules will generally affect all group long-term disability plans that are obtained through an employer. The new rules were scheduled to go in effect in January 1, 2018, but as I discussed this past January, the effective date was delayed to April 1, 2018. Now that the new rules have arrived, I am re-upping my previous explanation highlighting the new rules. —– Improvement to Basic […]

For Immediate Release PHILADELPHIA, March 8, 2018 – Mark F. Seltzer was named an Honorary Member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). As the Founding Partner of Seltzer & Associates, Mr. Seltzer has represented sick and injured professionals in their private disability claims for over the past twenty years, specifically focusing on doctors suffering from addiction. Through this representation, he has worked with addiction medicine doctors, and spoken and presented at various conferences and programs, including ASAM’s annual meetings. Therefore, the ASAM Board of Directors is honoring Mr. Seltzer in recognition of his “dedication, service and contributions” to […]

As I wrote about last January, in December 2016 the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) released its Final Rule amending the Claims Procedure regulating claim handling for ERISA governed disability benefits. In the Final Rule, ERISA governed plans were required to implement a number of changes to their claims handling procedures effective January 1, 2018. However, on October 12, 2017, pursuant to the Executive Order Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda, the DOL sought comment on a proposed 90-day delay of the January 1, 2018 applicability date. According to the DOL, this delay was in response to the concern of insurance […]