Insurance forcing me back to work, still have issues? Canada

IsThisForReal

Hi ladies,

I'm quite beside myself on this.  My insurance company contacted me via letter stating they've worked out a return to work program for me.  The issue I'm having with this is, I am still heavily fatigued, to which my Dr. can attest.  We are even going so far as to trying concerta to help with this.  Now, the insurance company has TOLD me to sign the agreement consenting to the back to work program.  I am not signing it as I am not recovered from the treatments of cancer and am HEAVILY fatigued on a daily basis.  Insurance have not asked my Dr. for a medical update on my condition either.  Weird they would go ahead and try to do this without medical opinion.  My Dr. will be calling my insurance and ASKING them for a letter requesting an update, to which they will recieve.  Furthermore, I now have ob/gyn issues (thanks tamox) and will probably be having surgery for that, as well as a lump on my hip which will be ultrasound in the near future.

Has anyone dealt with this sort of thing...and can they really go ahead and do this, and cut off my benefits if I don't 'consent'?  Unreal.

barsco1963

I don't believe that the insurance co. can force you to go back to work without approval from your Dr. They don't want to have to pay out any more benefits than they have to and will try to get you back to work as soon as they can. Don't let them bully you into it if you are not ready.

I started a back to work program in Oct of this yr. It was quite aggressive and I found that getting back into the swing of things was tougher than I had imagined. (was off for 1 1/2 yrs)  We had to revamp the schedule due to fatigue and stress issues. Last week was to be my first week of ft hours.

The insurance co decided to close my file back in Nov as that is when I was to be back to ft according to the original plan. My employer has been great in fighting the ins co on my behalf as far as getting the file opened again.

It can all be very stressful without having to worry about income. I hope that you get things resolved so that you can concentrate on healing both body and soul.

Good luck

A fellow Canadian.

IsThisForReal

Thanks for your response Barsco1963.  I faxed some information to my Dr. the other day, including the letter from the insurance company that stated my claim was accepted as I was totally disabled, by definition.  So my claim was accepted until I am well enough to return or turn 65.  Thing is, nothing has changed and we've been trying all sorts of things to regain my energy levels.  Believe me, I'd much rather have my life back than to have to deal with struggling on a daily basis with small things like dishes, meals, etc, turning down social invitations and whatnot.  I'm adament that I am not signing anything, and they need to get an updated medical report.

I'm glad to hear your employer is helping to look out for you, in getting your file reopened.  I would imagine it could be very tough indeed trying to get 'back into it'.  Your employers support should help to make the transition easier for you.  I wish you all the best.

ChemicalWorld

IsThisForReal: I am also in Canada and would hazard a guess that we might have the same insurance company.  I had a HORRIBLE time with them, and I too had return to work plans done up contrary to what my doctors were saying (or before they said anything for that matter), and was essentially also threatened with a denial/withdrawal of benefits until I eventually decided I could take no more and went back to work despite not being ready, primarily because I could no longer handle the stress of having these people in my life, and did not have the strength to keep fighting with them.  To boot, these "helpful professionals" said nasty things about me to my doctors (like snarky comments about a possible hysterectomy) and I was told that I was just basically milking my cancer in order to get a "lifestyle change".

I truly hope your experience does not turn out this way, but they do start to play dirty after you've been off a while.  I can honestly say that dealing with the insurance company was at times more stressful than my cancer treatment.  You have a very helpful doctor by the sounds of things and this is great - mine was not so helpful and caved under the insurance company and got stressed out by it (it's a double edged sword, you sign releases so that your doctor can call the insurance company who in turn can harass your doctors constantly).  My family doctor is one of those "well you're finished chemo, I can't tell them you need to be off". I hope your doctor is able to get them to back off.  Last going off we were going the way of a Psychologist, through which I wasted almost every appointment dealing with requests and paperwork from the insurance company and the person they hired to deal with me.  When my Psych told them I was in no uncertain terms unable to return to work, the insurance company told her, too bad, she has to "suck it up and go back to work".

Please PM me if you want to talk more about this.  I was naive about a couple of things, having never dealt with insurance companies before being diagnosed, and it was a highly unpleasant eye opener, and also a learning experience.