My last operative day was October 15, 2009. My last attempt at getting to understand my group disability policy was on May 10, 2018. I’m a disabled anesthesiologist who lost his career when my left median nerve stopped functioning properly. I had two disability policies, a private and a group. My dealings with these two companies have been day and night.
My group insurance carrier hammered my dignity for years. In 2018, under ERISA law, I lost again, this time in federal court. For me, the end was bittersweet. Bitter because group disability companies do not have to tell you what will happen to your benefit when you begin to resume income sources. Sweet because during my ordeal, I exhausted every means of understanding my group disability policy. And now I get to teach what I learned in hopes of helping prevent this tragedy for other physicians.
My group disability provider would not assist me in understanding how my group disability policy functions when it comes to what happens should I generate income. Imagine yourself unable to use your hard-earned education to generate income. Imagine that, if you did earn income, you have no idea what would happen, unsure of the fiscal pain you might cause your family if you even tried. More than eight years is a long time for an anesthesiologist to be frustrated, anxious, and to live in fear that his income source is in doubt.
Anesthesiologists like certainty, really like certainty! I’m betting you like certainty, as well.
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