Jul 17, 2023 - COVID-19, Disability Insurance for Doctors by Seltzer & Associates
Just as in previous years, there seems to be an increase in COVID cases and hospitalizations as we end our summer. Predictions for the fall and winter seasons indicate we should expect another surge of COVID-19 cases in the United States. While we have learned much about COVID-19 treatments and prognosis, this disease remains a threat to our medical community and community at large. Despite having available prevention protocols and vaccines to halt the spread of COVID-19, we are still very vulnerable to this disease. Treatment for Covid has helped alleviate some symptoms, but there is still much to learn about Covid and the future of healthcare in this ever-changing environment.
New variations of the COVID-19 virus can result in different symptoms and severity of suffering. We also continue to battle long-Covid and its lingering effects, many of which are disabling in nature and remove the ability of doctors to practice medicine and serve their own patients. Now is the opportunity for physicians to be proactive and prepare for the future. Ensure your financial well-being is protected with a disability insurance policy with adequate coverage to protect your finances in the event of disability by verifying your disability insurance policies. Disability insurance benefits provide replacement income when doctors and other insureds become unable to practice medicine and lose their regular stream of income.
If you are a doctor disabled by Covid, you may be entitled to disability insurance benefits. Talk with an experienced disability insurance lawyer at Seltzer & Associates to discuss your claim for long-term disability insurance benefits. We have been active in securing disability insurance benefits for our clients due to COVID-19 since the early days of the pandemic and are available to discuss your claim for disability insurance benefits with you too.
Healthcare Providers at Risk for Repeat Covid PTSD Episodes
The Covid pandemic created a lot of problems and concerns for the healthcare community. Initially, there was no treatment for Covid and physicians had to treat their patients’ symptoms as best they could while not knowing whether treatment would be successful. Resources to treat patients suffering from COVID-19 were scarce; supply chain and procurement delays meant that many healthcare providers had to ration supplies and make difficult decisions on administering treatment when there were not enough resources to treat all patients.
All of this could lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in healthcare providers. Healthcare professionals already worked in high-stress, high-stakes environments before the Covid pandemic. After experiencing the hardships in the initial days of the Covid pandemic and the desperation of the medical profession as the pandemic wore on and depleted resources, our doctors today are susceptible to PTSD in a Covid surge. With the recent increase in hospitalizations due to COVID-19, even though these numbers are not at a peak level as in prior years, the conditions in our medical field are such to induce physicians suffering from PTSD.
PTSD is a disabling condition. Insurance companies may try to deny any type of psychiatric or psychological disabling condition, including PTSD. One reason for a denial or termination of disability insurance benefits due to PTSD is limitations in the disability insurance policy. However, even if the disability insurance policy in question allows benefits coverage for these conditions it can be difficult to objectively measure the impact on the insured and lead to an incorrect denial or termination. This is why working with an experienced disability insurance appeal lawyer is critical to your claim for disability insurance benefits. Seltzer & Associates has worked on disability insurance claims dealing with mental health conditions for years and has experience in appealing unfavorable decisions for our clients.
Burnout for Physicians May Rise Along with the COVID-19 Surge
Another risk facing physicians as COVID-19 is predicted to surge again by the end of the year is Physician Burnout. Burnout is more than fatigue and frustration. Burnout affects the mental, cognitive, and physical abilities of doctors to practice medicine. Not acknowledging burnout puts doctors, medical staff, and patients at risk. While the American Medical Association has spent resources to research and promote solutions to avoid physician burnout, it is still prevalent today and is likely to surge along with other health crises. There can be an upcoming shortage of medical providers if their own Covid case prevents them from continuing to safely work in the medical field. This puts additional strain on remaining medical personnel to handle all patient matters, thereby increasing the likelihood of remaining medical professionals experiencing burnout and being unable to continue their careers. As always, disability insurance benefits can provide financial relief and lessen the burdens our physicians face when their mental and physical disabling limitations prevent them from practicing medicine. A long-term disability insurance attorney can help you navigate the claims process for burnout.
Doctors At Risk for Contracting COVID-19
Another risk that doctors and medical professionals face with an upcoming Covid surge is contracting the disease themselves. Our medical providers and essential workers who care for COVID-19 patients and others with infectious diseases put themselves at risk by carrying out their duty, even with protective measures in place. While we focus on other consequences of the Covid pandemic and the surges facing the medical community, we cannot ignore the simple fact that doctors may get Covid too.
Doctors cannot continue practicing medicine while suffering from Covid and risk spreading it to other medical professionals or to patients. With the development of medications that can lessen the symptoms of Covid it is easy to forget how devastating and disabling Covid can be. Depending on the severity of the physician’s suffering and symptoms from Covid, they could be out of work for several weeks or months, making disability insurance benefits necessary to provide a replacement for lost income.
Contact a Long Term Disability Insurance Benefits Lawyer to Discuss Your Claim
Doctors who become unable to work during the upcoming Covid surge need to consider their disability insurance benefits and make their claims. Seltzer & Associates can help you at every stage of the claim process for your disability insurance benefits. Contact us online or by calling at 888-699-4222.