With increasing frequency, insurance companies are wrongfully denying persons disability benefits as a means to increase corporate profits. There are new challenges that continually present themselves in the battle for long-term disability benefits. Recently, legislation was set in motion to change benefits for employees in Wisconsin.
In 1911, Wisconsin was the progressive state in initiating a workers’ compensation system ahead of other jurisdictions. Workers’ compensation and long-term benefits have always been an insurance option for injured employees to have medical costs paid for in an effort to prevent expensive lawsuits. If an employee has an injury at work, and if it leads to long-term disability, injuries are assessed by the health provider and an insurance company pays monthly benefits
Wisconsin’s workers’ compensation and long-term disability system has always been seen as an example of a well-working arrangement and has served as a frame of reference for other states. But legislators are concerned with rising costs of medical care. Proposals to initiate a fee schedule are currently being made in an effort to curb costs, but opposing representatives argue that it would lead to decreased access to healthcare and more time off work.
Health care cost discrepancies in workers’ compensation and long-term disability cases will be reassessed later this fall and changes may be made to the historically successful system. Wisconsin residents will need even more support to make successful claims in the future. Nevertheless, help is available to successfully navigate the claims or review process for long-term disability benefits.
Source: Sheboyganpress.com, Workers comp changes urged, Matthew DeFour, Sept. 15, 2013
