How can short term disability dictate when I'm to retun to work?

I received a surprise phone call from my employer's short term disability insurance company. Though my doctor had supplied them with paperwork that I required 6 weeks to recover from my LAVH, I was told today that they have only approved me for 5 weeks. They want another medical update from doctor to reconsider any time beyond 5 weeks. I can see requesting additional documentation if I needed more than the medically recommended 6 weeks but they are trying to cut my recovery time to even less. I don't have a sit-down job and I rarely get a few minutes to rest at work. It is a nonstop demanding job. I want the full 6 weeks. What to do?

I would fight it, there must be a way to appeal. And if it doesnt work, you could take the week off anyway unpaid. I am having to take 3 weeks with no paycheck, not fun, but better than going to work right now.
Merr

Did they tell you what type of documentation they need and when they need it? It might be worth contacting HR for assistance. Perhaps they have come across this before woth the disability company and can help you. These companiea often have a list of procedures and what they believe to be 'normal' recovery time, then it's up to the employee to prove they need more. Hope you are able to get this figured out. Do you have any sick or vacation time you can use if the extra week isn't approved?

Have you tried contacting your doctor's office? Maybe they've dealt with this before and know what to do to get you your full six weeks.

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Originally Posted by mcbonita I received a surprise phone call from my employer's short term disability insurance company. Though my doctor had supplied them with paperwork that I required 6 weeks to recover from my LAVH, I was told today that they have only approved me for 5 weeks. They want another medical update from doctor to reconsider any time beyond 5 weeks. I can see requesting additional documentation if I needed more than the medically recommended 6 weeks but they are trying to cut my recovery time to even less. I don't have a sit-down job and I rarely get a few minutes to rest at work. It is a nonstop demanding job. I want the full 6 weeks. What to do?

Go with the flow. Just take the 4 weeks, then go see your doctor. Tell him or her that you feel terrible; that you are still very tired and have difficulty walking, urinating, eating, digesting, etc. Ask for another 2 weeks, for a total of 6 weeks.

The insurance companies are getting tougher.

I don't have any personal experience with this -- I'm only part-time so didn't qualify for short-term disability -- but I would imagine you should be able to find out why they only approved you for 5 if the doctor asked for six if you call them and ask. Your HR dept/person should be able to point you in the right direction as well.

Best of luck! I can't imagine how frustrating that would be.

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Originally Posted by Kybbi Have you tried contacting your doctor's office? Maybe they've dealt with this before and know what to do to get you your full six weeks.

They do know what to do. It just depends on how strict or "by the book" your doctor is.
My doctor wrote me off for 3 1/2 weeks. I still can't believe I went back to work that early. I am a part-time teacher of adult students. My situation is very different. He was rather proud of my recovery time. I think if I wanted him to, he would have written me off for 6-8 weeks, easy.
He said it also depends on the type of job that you do. He said that if I was a waitress, carrying trays of food to customers, I would have been given more time to rest.

Also, when you do go back to work, you can request part-time for the first week or two.

I was not paid while I was off. I work only part-time, so my employer did not pay for my rest time after my surgery.
I stayed home without pay.

Thanks for your suggestions. I do plan to discuss it with my doctor at my post op appt. I was just very surprised that the first doctor note was not enough for the insurance company. I had read that because minimally invasive hysterectomies cost more than traditional hysterectomies that insurance companies are expecting women to be able to return to work sooner. THough the post op pain seems to be less with laparoscopic procedures, the inside healing can take just as long as a traditional procedure. They don't seem to want to take that into account. I agree with other posts that you only get one opportunity to allow for optimal healing.

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Originally Posted by mcbonita Thanks for your suggestions......... I had read that because minimally invasive hysterectomies cost more than traditional hysterectomies that insurance companies are expecting women to be able to return to work sooner. ...... I agree with other posts that you only get one opportunity to allow for optimal healing.

Surgeons are pushing the "minimally invasive" daVinci surgeries as state of the art medicine. They have basically said that the initial healing is much faster with the robotic surgeries.

My doctor wanted me out of the hospital at 24 hours!
I just didn't feel ready. I refused.
I could have, though, especially since DD is a nurse.
I didn't want to take advantage of her nursing expertise, I wanted another day to be sure that nothing was wrong.
I have to admit that by the next day, I was bored.

I went back to work at 3 1/2 weeks rather grudgingly.
It was just O.K. 4 1/2 or 5 weeks would have been ideal.