Conference 7.286::digital

    If I were you, I'd send .0 to the entire senior leadership team....

Be careful the process you described doesn't drive you insane.  I assume that
the process for recovering mental health expenses is the "advanced version" of
what you've experienced so far!!

Sorry to hear of your loss.  You seem to be managing all situations
extremely well.  

Gerry

I'd send the entire basenote to the newly-created Office of Ethics, and
simultaneously get on the phone with the top person in that office. What you've
described displays a complete lack of ethics on the part of most of the people
who were supposed to be supporting you during your disability.

Please keep us posted?

Best of luck!

Larry
  ~

    Makes you wonder if the disability is worth it?  Working full-time
    trying to collect benefits is *hardly* conducive to healing, which is
    what health insurance is supposed to be about to begin with!
    
    Thank you for this information and the warning.  If it ever happens to
    me, they'll get the paperwork once -- and sign return receipt.  One slip
    after that and I'll turn the mess over to a lawyer....

    Send registered letter to insurance carrier which includes chronology
    you have written.  Explain that if all matters are not cleared up
    within seven working days, you will be forced to contact a lawyer to
    investigate all grounds for instituting legal action.  Add that their
    negligence and deliberate breach of fiduciary responsiblity has added
    to the pain and suffering of your loss.   Then add that a copy of this
    letter has been forwarded to Hillary Rodham Clinton and her healthcare
    crusade.
    
    Copy Digital by registered letter.
    
    Sit back and wait seven days.  If no action, contact lawyer.
                                                 

    Please elevate this issue - thank goodness my car accident which
    resulted in minor injuries and STD for 3 weeks, was under the old
    system.
    
    So sorry to hear of your accident
    
    Joyce
    
    P.s. at first reading I thought the suggestion to send a copy to Hillary
    Rodham Clinton was the extreme but I think the more the 'higher-ups'
    know of what we, the avergae working people have to go through, the
    easier it will be for them to help us out.
    
    Good Luck sorting out this mess.

    Sorry to hear of your loss. I think you are getting the right advice; I
    would make the top brass aware of it.
    
    Perwesh

    It may be wise to get some legal advise whether or not this gets
    straightened out soon. If this was me I would have probably done 
    so already.
    
    This makes my blood boil and is another illustration of the "lemmings"
    that this society spews out which I pointed out in another topic last
    week. Daily we meet and have to deal with incompetent buffoons.
    
    I wish you well with this situation as well as your injury.
    
    Jim C.
    

    Sorry to hear of your loss.
    
    Hillary Clinton seems more interested in extending medical coverage to
    those who don't have it.  But part of the savings in healthcare reform
    is supposed to come from reducing paperwork, and you have an OUTRAGEOUS
    example of how paperwork reduces efficiency.
    
    Isn't there a punchline to this horrorible joke?  Didn't we OUTSOURCE
    management of STD?
    
    I would counsel a less extreme response than getting on the horn to Bob
    Palmer.  Your problem seems to be that the paperwork isn't getting
    done.  Right now you don't want revenge or attention, you want a
    PAYCHECK.  (Your story is making me shout!  Sorry.)  If I were you, I
    would visit Personnel and sit in someone's office and walk the
    paperwork through myself, by my own hands, and not leave until it was
    done.  If anyone said to you, "Listen, I'm busy now, and this is very
    inconvenient, could you come back when I finish your paperwork?"  I
    would point at my face and say "I have no eye, and you have stopped my
    paycheck!" and repeat until they relent.
    
    Needless to say, you are being victimized by incompetent bureaucrats.
    Get that paperwork through yourself!  Managers do it all the time.

    My sympathy to you for your loss & accident in general.  If it should
    happen again, don't tell the air-ambulance to head south - head North. 
    At least here there would be no medical bills, no BS like "over your
    coverage" etc.
    
    While medicare as we know it is government run, I could not imagine
    even our ridiculously inefficient and 'do-the-same-thing-six-times"
    bureaucrats being anywhere close to as inefficient and all-round stupid
    as the 'Insurance' companies and HMOs described in various parts of
    this conference.  
    
    By the way, we spend 8% of GDP on health care, US spends 12% but
    doesn't provide service to 35,000,000 (over 10%) people.  Our gross
    per capita is 20% less than your in $.  Of course our doctors average
    less pay but all they do is doctoring - no bill collecting and
    insurance admin work.
    

    Oh, Mike, so sorry to hear of your troubles.
    
    You are not alone.  Last year, just when we were "forced" to go from
    Hancock to an HMO, I got really sick and required major surgery.  I was
    refused admittance by the hospital on New Year's Eve (the date the transition of
    insurance was done).  I suffered big time for over a month before I
    finally got to a HMO "specialist" who agreed to do the surgery, even
    though there was a diagnosis prior to my transfer to the HMO.  I had
    the major surgery, during which I experienced all that you are going
    through (having to relay all the info at CMI to the doctor, the doctor
    not being able to get through, my manager getting return to work dates
    without my doctor being consulted on when I should be ready to return
    to work, being FORCED to return to work even though the doctor told CMI
    I was definitely not ready to go back (this surgery was major,
    life-threatening, and also I had major complications which took me
    months to recover from) to work.  Despite this, I had to return to work
    at least a month before I should have.  As a result, I came close to
    having another major operation because I relapsed into my prior
    condition.  This whole time, I went to HR and told them I wanted to sue
    Hancock for not being there on New Year's eve to verify my insurance
    covered, which resulted in me being refused admittance at the hospital. 
    HR told me to document it, which I did and I still have the letters and
    documentation in All-in-1 just in case.  Then they did NOTHING.  I kept
    asking them about it (they told me they had to address the issue at the
    Director's board of Medicine and all this).  Finally, I called HR and
    they told me there was nothing the board would do.  I called a lawyer
    to be told that the statute of limitations was up (they told me it was
    6 weeks from the date of surgery that you had to file a claim against
    an insurance company).  During this time, I kept getting mega bills
    from the hospital, anaesthetist, etc.  The HMO took months to pay,
    which screwed up my credit even further than it is (because I have
    chronic health problems and Hancock would not cover half of the stuff
    that has been done to me in the past - at least my HMO covers
    everything!).  
    
    Here we pay megabucks for lousy insurance, lousy service and uncaring
    attitudes.  I also didn't get paid, only because no one bothered to
    forward the information to payroll that I was out.  I never knew
    whether I was getting paid or not as a result.
    
    Believe it, up until two months ago, I was still getting billed for an
    operation that happened in February '92.  I just kept forwarding the
    bills to the HMO with memos.  Why should be have to bother with this
    stuff, especially when people are legitimately sick.  It's not like I
    was out on an ambiguous charge like "stress" or "back problems", that
    is the reason why CMI was set up in the first place -- the abuses in
    DEC warranted something had to be done.  Unfortunately, it is the
    innocent ones who take the brunt of the difficulty.  Those milking the
    system (and I know a few ...) just sail on through all the TFSO's, etc,
    paid and unscathed.
    
    Hope you recover quickly.  If you forward something to Hilary R-C, like
    someone suggested, I'd be more than happy to send you my data and you
    can use this note if you like as well.
    
    Tammi
    g

    
    I think you all would be very surprised to find out this happens
    a LOT in this company.  I have been out on STD with the both
    the old and new system.  This new system stinks.  CM is no
    help at all and our PSA say it goes into a black hole at that
    point and no one knows anything about it except CM.
    
    As for the 100% Dec plan, I was on that also.  Most of the surgery
    I had done I had to pay out of my own pocket too.   I'm now a 
    part of Healthsource.
    
    Jane

    It makes me furious that this company is still doing this.
    
    About a year ago, I and two other people in my department had to wait 
    weeks for our pay checks after returning from STD.  I went without pay 
    for 9 weeks.  I must have sent half a dozen messages to Personnel with 
    no result.  We really had to stomp and yell to get anything done.  
    We were promised that, as the process was new, this wouldn't happen 
    again--they would fix it.  In fact, payroll never did sort my pay 
    record out, we came to an agreement that I would accept what I had 
    been given.  The amount I had received was about right, I think 
    I may have gotten an hours pay more than I should have.  
    
    FYI, the company is legally obliged to pay you within a certain
    period of time for time worked.  For WC2 it has to be within 7 working 
    days, I'm not sure if it's different for WC4.  I think a lawyer would be a
    good idea. 
    
    Best of luck and I hope you make as complete recovery as possible.
    

    Oh, I forgot:
    
    Oh more than one occasion, my boss has had to rush me to the hospital
    although I required ambulatory care.  When I had Hancock, I could not
    afford the charges for the ambulance and refused an ambulance at least
    twice at work because Hancock would not cover it.  
    
    Tammi

    Oh, I forgot another thing:
    
    On New Year's Even, I collapsed at work during "normal" business hours
    (it was in the morning).  My doctor asked for me to be admitted to the
    hospital at 1:00 pm.  I tried all day and every phone number I knew at
    Hancock to get through to verify coverage, because I mistakenly told
    the hospital while being pre-admitted that my coverage would be
    transferred to the HMO on midnight.  Hancock gave me the lame excuse
    that "no one was there because everyone was let go at 12 noon to
    celebrate New Year's".  Now if that isn't ground to sue Hancock, I
    don't know what is.  This is indicative of how powerful the insurance
    companies are - when I went to a lawyer they just blew me off - but
    they had no backup when they let their ENTIRE staff go at 12 noon on
    New Year's eve - they didn't even THINK about sick people who need
    coverage.  I kept getting the phones flipped from one answering service
    to another when I called there and got the runaround from the answering
    services John Hancock had forwarded their phones to.  Only TWO DAYS
    after New Years, after I DEMANDED to speak to a supervisor, did I get
    an admittance from Hancock that the reason they weren't answering the
    phones was because the "closed for New Year's".  They didn't tell DEC
    they were closing, and if they did, we in the Field were not relayed
    that information.  The least they could have done was told the people
    they insure that the office will be closed and _____ is handling their
    calls and issues until further notice.
    
    I'm sorry to keep running off at the mouth here, but this makes me so
    upset, reliving how bad I suffered last year from December 28 through
    September ... It makes my blood BOIL.
    
    Tammi (who has no problems with her doctors, they are great, only
    insurance companies)

    Tammi,
    
    I would document everything that happened and send it to Hillary.  
    And maybe the press.  And get a better lawyer for future events.
    
    Even if its too late for you to collect, its not too late to help fix
    this situation.

    
    Ref .0  
             Sorry about your accident; I had the same problem several
    years ago. Sorry that there haven't been any changes either.
    
    bc

    Thanks for the warnings.  I had switched to an HMO because I can't
    afford Hancock anymore.  My daughter popped an ear infection after
    working hours on a Friday; we took her, on the advice of the on-call
    physician, to the local emergency center where she received
    antibiotics, etc.  Then we got billed for $200+.  "It's not an
    emergency," said the HMO.  "BULL****," I said, "the child has a history
    of ear problems and had been screaming in pain for over an hour."  The
    bill still hasn't been paid.  I will roast in hell before *I* pay it.
    
    .0, best of luck in your recovery.  And may HRC (Her Royal
    Clinton-ness) and her minions find a way out of this mess.

    If you want your wheel oiled, squeek loud and clear.
    
    I'd advise you to get this story to every newspaper,  magazine, and TV
    station within hailing distance of Mars. My experience has shown that 
    only great, public embarrassment improves this sort of event. To call 
    the people involved in this incompetent is to slander incompetents.
    
    I'll be glad to refer you to writers/publications.
    
    
    ken
    
                                                                       

    To change your STD status your manager needs to submit a corrected EDCF
    form to Personnel indicating your returned to work status, i.e., R40. I
    don't know the process after that but the Personnel master file should
    kick in for payroll, etc. although I've not had a problem like these
    cases myself.
    
    Re: .11
    
    >ambiguous charge like "stress" or "back problems"
    
    A year and a half ago I was hit by an International Dumpster at a red
    light and have been in pain since--there is no ambiguity with my back
    as far as I'm concerned.  It is very real.  Although told to take at
    least a month off, I decided to tough it out and here I am even today
    sitting on a supportive back chair with a heating pad on my back with
    the threat of surgery in the future if the numbness, tingling, and pain
    continue.  Just wanted to clear that point ;').  It sounds like you've
    had quite a time of it!
    
    

    
     Well, seem to have struck a nerve have "eye".
    
     I am in the process of escalating this. I seek no monetary
    compensation, I seek nothing but to prevent this from happening again.
    
     RE -.1 It was my understanding that a corrected EDCF had been
    submitted. Of course personnel has no record of it.
    
     We have numerous problems with my case. 
    
    Digital, who stopped my paychecks for no apparent reason. Why would
    they stop if I am still "labeled" STD? We get 16 weeks of STD, eh?
    Digital, who gave my immediate management information which was
    confusing. The boilerplate letter stating a return to work date.
    Digital, the internal system for "labeling" STD status. How can I be
    around for 4 weeks and someone not catch this? Heck I called personnel
    to file an appeal against my insurance carrier.
    
    The insurance carrier, who has people running over each other doing
    the same thing x number of times, yet nothing gets done.
    
    And the disability company, whose job I did coordinating this fiasco.
    They are paid to handle this. They let Digital and an employee down.
    They failed miserably to satisfy a customer!
    
    -Best regards, and things will get better. I believe that the system
    can be fixed. It is in everyones best interest.
    
    -Mike Z.
    

    send the disability company a bill for the time you expended in 
    doing their work for them (or better yet, get your manager to have
    digital send a bill for services rendered....) :-)

    What a nightmare for you.  This makes government bureaucracy look like
    a well oiled machine.  
    
    Make someone deal with you - I had major surgery 3 years ago, and the
    quicker you and your problems go away, the better they like it.
    
    Don't give up.
    
    

   I "missed" a paycheck when I returned to work from maternity STD.  It
was the standard maternity disability with a scheduled return 6 weeks 
after a normal delivery.  I called CMI to get my scheduled return to
work date which happened to be on Dec 24, 1992 (a corporate holiday).
Anyway, I then preceeded to take an additional week using my vacation
time.  One of my co-workers called to tell me that I didn't receive a 
paycheck on Jan. 7.  He contacted my manager who took care of the problem.
It seems that I was automatically removed from STD, but it took a form
from my manager (which he was unaware of) to put me back on active employee
status.  He took care of the matter ASAP and the following week I started
getting my paychecks again, but I still hadn't received the missing paycheck.
Once I informed my manager that I was still missing a paycheck he took 
control of the problem and within a week or two had had my missing check.

   I have my manager to thank for his persistence in clearing the
problem up as soon as it was discovered.   Best of luck in getting
everything straightened out.

 -Lisa

re           <<< Note 2454.11 by GRANPA::TTAYLOR "undercover angel" >>>
                    -< It sounds like what I went through >-

  
>    was out on an ambiguous charge like "stress" or "back problems", that
>    is the reason why CMI was set up in the first place -- the abuses in
>    DEC warranted something had to be done.  Unfortunately, it is the
>    innocent ones who take the brunt of the difficulty.  Those milking the
>    system (and I know a few ...) just sail on through all the TFSO's, etc,
>    paid and unscathed.
    
    
    Tammi

       I'm really surprised that someone who has had health problems and
problems with CMI could have such little sympathy for others. Have you ever
had back problems or been clincally diagnosed with depression? If not, maybe
you shouldn't be so free throwing around charges of "milking the system".

 What ever abuses may have existed under the old system, they certainly don't
begin to compare with the abuses done to the health and well being of Digital
employee's under the CMI system. Whatever money they might save in STD, will
disappear into lawyers pockets and go to settle law suits.

RE  basenote

  You have my deepest sympathy. My own difficulty, related in note 2006.*,
while much less severe than yours, illustrates how little has actually 
changed in the last eight months :-(

I have had other problems recently (the details of which, I don't care to 
discuss) that have been so miss managed by CMI, that I doubt I will ever
recover. My advise to anyone having to deal with CMI: document everything,
assume they'll try to scr*w you and HIRE A LAWYER !

Regards
Barry   

    
    Re: .0
    
    My very deepest and warmest best wishes.  I find it simply incredible
    that you have lost an eye (I can't imagine what that must feel like),
    that they expected you back to work within a month *AND* have had
    the gall to put you through the wringer that you described.  WHAT IS
    WRONG WITH PEOPLE?  I guess I just don't get it.
    
    Make no mistake about it.  You are being abused by a system that is
    supposed to be your advocate.  You've had a serious loss in your life;
    you deserve better; and, what's more, YOU HAVE EARNED IT.  This is no
    free gift!  It is part of the compensation that you work for!  
    
    Steve
    

What does CMI stand for?

re                     <<< Note 2454.27 by 11SRUS::POITRAS >>>
                                   -< CMI? >-

>What does CMI stand for?

Core Management Inc. 
they're the group that Digital has contracted with to administer our disability
program.

Regards
Barry

    I thought it was Completely Mindless Idiots! :=) :=) :=)

    As a non-US employee (though I spent 3 years there on relocation some
    while ago), all I can say is that I'm stunned.
    
    Why does anyone put up with this crap?
    
    D.

    
    Re: .30
    
    
    > Why does anyone put up with this crap?
    
    THAT is the key question to this entire mess.  If we knew the answer
    to that we could fix this problem toute d'suite.
    
    Steve
    

    Perhaps because they are doing precisely what the powers that be want. 
    Makes CMI the bad guys.  Foolish attempt to save money...will end up
    costing bigtime.

    From what I have observed, the errors of surviving bureaucracies are 
    typically in their favor.  I've seldom been exposed to bureaucracies
    that err in favor of the patron.
    
    Steve

    >> Why does anyone put up with this crap?
    
    Why not?
    
    More precisely, what reason does DEC have to change this for the
    betterment of employees?
    
    On a strictly dollars-and-sense basis (why does that sound familiar?),
    keeping a dysfunction like this can serve several corporate aims:
    
    1. Saves money short-term. Since the time value of money means money
    now is always worth more than money in the future, it is often worth
    abusing employees if it means that money they have coming will stay in
    the corporate money bag a while longer, to be available for [whatever].
    
    2. Serves to drive people out of DEC. Why Transition someone when you
    can make them quit in disgust?
    
    3. Protects incompetents. And incompetence. When a primary motivation
    of higher management is to protect one another despite relative
    performance or ability, there is that much more reason to pretend that
    an employee is just a "whining malcontent."
    
    4. Why change unless you have to? People -- and organizations --
    change because they have to, not because they want to. See Behavior
    101.
    
    5. Be a hero. Create a problem; now solve it. Instant hero! (not to
    mention extra job security).
    
    6. Employees will put up with almost anything in return for the
    "security" of employment. The Like It or Lump It School of Management.
    
    
    I can probably think of some more given a little time.
    
    
    kbs
    
    

    Another possible reason --  perhaps its the natural result of last 
    year's strategy -- that it would be cheaper to outsource anything not 
    nailed down and "manage" the vendors.
    
    A failed strategy because it was based on 2 false premises:
    
    1.  expenses were too high because of too many poor performers
    2.  Digital's managers are all competent, if not excellent
    
    What is revealing itself now is that Digital's management incompetency
    was covered by a subculture of good performers, who managed to do
    a mediocre job in impossible circumstances.

    This note has caused me to resolve to
    
    � Photocopy every bill and other communique I send to my health carrier
    
    � Mail everything certified mail, with return receipt requested
    
    						Ann B.

   > This note has caused me to resolve to
    
   > � Photocopy every bill and other communique I send to my health carrier
    
   > � Mail everything certified mail, with return receipt requested
    
    
     . Contact lawyer at first sign of possible STD.
    
    

    
    Re: .34
    
    > More precisely, what reason does DEC have to change this for the
    > betterment of employees?
    
    Well if you don't care if you're in business five years from now, then
    no reason I guess. 
    
    Steve
    

    re: .38:
    
    DEC cares if it is in business five years from now. What is unspoken is
    that that business will be much different from what is now the case,
    will require different employee types, and will require far less of
    them.
    
    
    kbs
    

re          <<< Note 2454.30 by IOSG::SHOVE "Dave Shove -- REO2-G/M6" >>>
                      -< Completely Moronic Imbeciles ? >-

  
>    Why does anyone put up with this crap?
    
During my most recent dealings with CMI, I asked local (CXO) personnel reps.
this same question. I was told that there had been numerous complaints, and 
that the contract with CMI was being reviewed. I assumed, from the tone of
the conversation, that a cancellation of the contract was imminent? This was
several weeks ago and CMI is still running the show. Of course it may be more
of the good cop/bad cop game, where CMI blames Digital Disability Management,
who blames local personnel, who blames your manager, who blames health services,
who blame CMI, who blame ......., you get the idea.  In the meanwhile the ill
employee is forced to spend time and effort, that should have been spent on 
recuperation, trying to straighten out one screw up after another. You can avoid
this, if you're willing to come back to work, straight from the operating room,
with the IV bottle still in your arm :-(

Regards
Barry 

    
    Re: .39
    
    > DEC cares if it is in business five years from now. What is unspoken is
    > that that business will be much different from what is now the case,
    > will require different employee types, and will require far less of
    > them.
    
    What you say may be true, but if DEC does not look out *today* for the
    employees it has now, then the transition to what you describe will be
    rocky at best and may result with those "different employee types"
    looking out only for themselves in the short term and quite ready to 
    dump DEC at a moment's notice.  Frankly there are many many of us left
    who fit that description already.
    
    Steve
    

    
    	I just read thru this entire string, having been refered to read it
    from another conference.  In my own situation, CMI has passed along
    confidential information about me, information that they should not
    have access to in the first place, to a healthcare provider of mine.
    The particular case manager at CMI will be returning from vacation
    Monday, and DEC Dis. Management and I have plans to find out what
    they've been up to.  It's gonna be a good fight, cause someone is lying
    thru thier teeth, and I plan on doing what I can to find out who.
    
    	But it also disturbs me to hear about JH.  I've had minor problems 
    with them before, but I go in for surgery Thursday and now I'm feeling a 
    lot more stressed about it.  I think I'll ask my surgeon to get a faxed
    authorization, instead of a verbal one, before they put me under.
    
    
    sean
    

    RE -.1
    
     I wouldn't worry to much about JH. Just go do what needs to be done
    and get healthly.
    
     Having authored the base note, things have turned out for the better
    in the past few weeks. I got in touch with two corporate managers who
    in the better part of a day, not only fixed things but gave clear
    consistant information. And, guess what, one did NOT even ask me for my
    badge number, the other asked at the end of the conversation. I was
    obviously dealing with people schooled in the art of customer
    satisfaction. I am satisfied that digital understands and is trying to
    fix the problems. My voice has been heard, as well as others. I say
    thanks to everyone.
    
    -Mike Z.

    Hi,
    re: -2  Don't get too stressed out about JH.  I have been undergoing
    a lot of testing since the first of the year because of fatigue and
    chest pain.  JH has been doing everything I expected.  The bills (80%)
    are being paid in a timely manner.  I get notification of every claim.
    No one has ask any questions or given me any trouble.  I could not be
    happier with the coverage.
    
    BTW:  it turns out not to be anything life threatening, and the
    medication really helps.
    
    Judy (feeling good about John Hancock, and just plain feeling good)
    

    
    	So I finally get to talk to my "case manager" at CMI and she flatly
    denies she even discussed the matter with the persons involved.  She
    refused to even let me ASK her any questions and stonewalled me the
    whole way.  She was pretty good at it too.  She then tells me that my
    case is going back into "workability", whatever THAT is, and that she
    is no longer the case manager.  Gee, it was CMI that wanted updates
    every 2 weeks on my case from my doctors, now they want nothing to do
    with them?  Sounds like we had picked a winner here.
    
    	On the good side, CMI has been told that they will NOT be renewed
    with DEC, although I don't believe we have chosen another vendor yet.
    I wish it was like it was before, when we didn't pay a 3rd party
    company to do a worse job than we could do ourselves!!!   #;^)
    
    sean
    
    p.s. the surgery went well.
    

    This is just to let you know, you are not alone.. I'v been on
    disability since late last year due to surgery and let me tell you
    that CMI is a wast of time and money. You can not trust then since they
    love to make up lie's just to coverere ass. Do Not Trust Them and make
    sure you have everything documente Goog luck 
    n

Just 
when I thought I'd heard everything:

 I don't know how long I'll be around so reply fast :-(
I have been out for stress related disability since Nov 13th.
Late December, I was offered and accepted a transfer to a new group, I even
had a plane ticket to go from Colorado to Springfield, Mass for training.
Core Management orders an Independent Medical Exam and my ticket gets cancelled,
subsequently so does the job offer. I go up to Denver (60 miles) twice during
the month of January, we wait and wait and hear nothing. Finally I get notified
CMI wants to do another IME, I reply, my doctor and I haven't seen the results
of the first IME yet, why do you want another (with a different doctor)?
After the intervention of Corporate Disability, CMI cancels the second IME and
provides my Doctor with the results of the first IME (which CMI claims I was not
entitled to, yeah right!). The IME agrees with my therapist. I get a release
from my doctor to return to work, as long as it is with another group (this was
about six weeks ago). I have heard nothing from anyone representing Digital 
since early March, my therapist has provided CMI with biweekly (at least) status
reports. Last friday, I receive a call from a Travelers Insurance representative
which I returned Monday morning. She informed me that my LTD benefits would not
take effect because I was not "totally disabled" and could do meaningfull work?
I have been receiving checks that say LTD for the last several weeks, but 
according to the Travelers rep I haven't been on LTD. I've been released to
return to work, but my management "can't"  find a job for me. I have the 
req #'s of jobs that fit my abilities and restrictions.

 It appears that if you decide to pay for increased LTD coverage or benefits
you better be real carefull what you're getting, it may not be what you think.
If you have a restricted return to work, management can just choose to not find
you a job. Travelers doesn't pay your LTD benefits because you are not Totally
disabled. Is this how most of you thought the system was supposed to work? I
didn't think so :-( 
I have messages in to Corporate Disability and copied local Personnel requesting
clarification of my status, I'll keep you informed, unless they disable my 
account. TFSO me or terminate me, but this situation is BOGUS!

Update: 
    A manager who "might" have a job for me is on vacation, if he doesn't have 
anything then I get placed in a job search category for thirteen weeks. If I
can't find anything in that time than I will be terminated/seperated. I doubt
very seriously if I will find anything. I'm not even sure I want to work for
this company anymore. I'm also highly pissed off that I was conned into wasting
my money on the LTD insurance coverage, which is totally worthless, IMHO.

Regards
Barry

    Re: -.1
    
    	I was just contacted by Travelers.  The woman was very nice and
    told me that at 6 months, STD turned to LTD and they take over the
    case.  She also told me that I need to be totally disabled from doing
    any kind of work.  If I am not, then something would be found for me to
    do. (uh-huh!)  Anyway, my doctors are not going to release me to work
    under any circumstances.  So I guess I will not have to go thru what
    you have.  BTW, neither CMI or Travelers have requested an IME.
    
    sean
    

re: .48

>    case.  She also told me that I need to be totally disabled from doing
>    any kind of work.  If I am not, then something would be found for me to
>    do. (uh-huh!)  Anyway, my doctors are not going to release me to work

This is THE major reason why I have my own disability policy which states that
if I can't do the job I was doing when I became disabled, I'm totally disabled.

Take care, Sean.

Bob