Does anyone have any experience with Cigna Short-term disability insurance policies? My claim (for child birth/caring for child) was processed fine & I have been receiving benefit checks while currently out on maternity leave. I was/am planning to return to work in mid June but now my husband & I are thinking that I might not return to work immediately and will stay home for awhile longer with the baby. However someone told me that they think that if I don't return to work at all, then I might have to pay back some of the money I received for the short term disability insurance. this seems absurd to me. Wondering if anyone knows anything about this? Thanks for the input!
Definitely check your plan. Where I work, you have to return to work for at least 6 months after my FMLA time off, or I would have to pay back what my employer paid out for my health insurance for the time I was off. I also get 2 weeks paid maternity leave, and would have to pay that back as well.
I know when you are out on maternity leave you do not have to pay back your health benefits. If the doctor writes a note and says you can not return to work then you would still receive benefits. the thing you should do is call and find out. is there a way you can return part time? I know that i went through all this when i had my son almost two years ago.
I am currently employed by a health insurance company and what I can tell you is that every plan is written differently based on the needs or requirements of the employer. No plan is the same. I would recommend that you go through any paperwork you may have been given prior to going out on short term disability and also go through any letters you have received. If within those things you do not find your answer than I would recommend that you contact whoever handles your short term disability and ask them your question. Most companies outsource their short term disability services so it is very important that you call the number that was provided to you on the short term disability letters in order to get to the right place. They should be more than able to answer your questions. You should not rely on what you may think are the experts because every plan is different and I would hate for you to be in the position of having asked for advice and given wrong information. Good Luck!
That's usually true for short term scenarios. If you had quit the job, you wouldn't have received any aid, so quitting "later after your time off" or not returning when you said may disqualify you for that specific short term plan. A few people I know didn't apply for short term aid because they sort of knew deep down they wouldn't go back to work for a while and they didn't want to commit. It's a common scenario and the program can't pay for everyone who doesn't go back to work. If they let you keep the money AND stay home past the agreement you're LUCKY. Read everything and all the small print and speak to a rep from Cigna. Good luck!
I don't know anything about Cigna specifically, but you will absolutely have to pay back disability if you don't return to work, unless you become totally disabled and are unable to return due to medical reasons. ST and LT disability are to replace your income while you are away from your job. If you don't have a job, there's no income to replace.
That may be true. That's why companies get so ticked when a new mom returns to work for a few weeks and then resigns! Look into FMLA (unpaid) leave if you need to extend you leave. No pay but your job will be held until you return. You need to use up all vacation time prior to your FMLA leave, I believe, or at least I did. Good luck.
I don't know about Cigna. I recently quit my job after my maternity leave, I had paid short term disability with The Hartford. I did not have to pay any back from my benefits. I would ask your benefits administrator. If you want to take more time off, but not "Quit" your job, look into FMLA(Family Medical Leave Act) from the federal government. You can take up to 6 months off (unpaid) and your company must hold your job (or equivalent position) for you. It depends on the size of your company (I think for companies 50 employees or more). Look into the website:http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/
for more information. I hope this helps. COngrats on your little girl. I had my son on Dec 7th and now I'm a SAHM!
From my experience with STD and FMLA:
1. I was only granted short term disability for 6 weeks after delivery by Cigna. Apparently being a paramedic and pregnant doesn't qualify as a disability. Even though my job was dangerous to my unborn child I had 2 choices work, or don't get paid.
2. You do not have to pay back STD if you wind up quitting your job, you are receiving benefit from the premiums already paid prior to the claim.
3. FMLA is only 12 weeks, not 6 months as someone else posted. Your company (or theirs) may offer extended leave of absence, but FMLA is only 12 weeks.
4. Definately talk to your human resources dept. They are going to give you the best answers because not ever company carries the same coverage even if the insurace company is the same. They can tell you what type of leave you are able to take and how long they can/will hold your position.
I went through He77 with my pregnancies because of my job. I was forced to make choices between the well being of my unborn babies and making ends meet for the ones I still had to feed. It sucked monkey. I never want to go through the process again. Ever.
