BrownGirls YUM

I did find an old thread with some SSDI discussion, but I am interested in hearing from FDX pilots who have been through the entire process of being forced into SSDI and how that has impacted their lives in general and also specific issues such as healthcare, LTD paybacks, etc., or anything else those faced with an SSDI hearing may not have considered on the front end.

Better off? Worse? No significant change?

Appreciate any perspective that can be offered.

busdriver12

You might want to page Mayday Mark, I recall that he got approved for SSDI, however, I don't think he ever went back to flying.

The few things that I know about it, is that the company makes you apply for it (whether you think you'll get turned down for it or not), in order to get company paid LTD. It is really important that you do it by a certain deadline, and follow up on it. Make sure the company does what they need to, for you to get the LTD. There have been horror stories about people who did not apply for SSDI in time and were disallowed LTD. That could be big bucks lost.

When you apply for SSDI, you can use a company paid law firm to help you through the process (much higher chance of getting it). You also might get it upon appeal. You have to send the government all of your medical records, which is rather sickening, and of course you have to declare you received it on your FAA physical applications (no big deal, just can't hide it).

I believe if you are approved for it, it's considered a good thing. Though most of it goes to the company, since you have to pay back much of the LTD, there is a financial benefit to receiving it (don't know how much). I don't think people feel like they are being "forced into SSDI", because they are happy to be approved for it, since it's a financial benefit, but I think it is irritating for some to be forced to apply, when they feel as if they are ineligible for it and shouldn't be applying for it, but must do so because the company requires it.

Hopefully someone else will weigh in on that.

MelT

Yum: I have been through the LTD process, but fortunately am back at work now. You can pm if you'd like to discuss further. In my case, it took several years for my SSI application process to get to the appeal phase. I had my hearing in Memphis and it was ultimately denied by the judge. It was not a pleasant experience.

I have a bud who went out at about the same time and was not fortunate enough to be able to get back to work. His initial SSI claim was denied and went to the appeal process where he was ultimately determined to be permanently disabled by the SSA. In his case it was to his benefit as although his company LTD payments were lowered his SSA benefits increased his total monthly benefits. The income tax implications were to his benefit as well, and his state exempts his property taxes as well due to his SSI disability.

This, at least, is how I understand it worked out for him. Pretty sure its accurate. Not sure if that is helpful to you, and again if you want more detailed info on my experience feel free to pm. Sorry to hear that you are going through this, it definitely is a long and drawn out process, not to mention the fact that you have lost out on your livelihood and are probably not feeling your best either.

Best of luck to you.

Huh really

If you are in the process of most likely ending active flying, a couple points. You can voluntarily reduce your monthly CH while you burn your sick, long term sick and vacation. Since you are still on the rolls and getting a paycheck, you are still earning vacation and your healthcare premiums are still being deducted. Remember that vacation is earned Jan - Oct, so this may be a factor in your planning. Some caveats, when sick leave is loaded in Jan (72 hours) - don't plan that you get 72 CH, its more complicated than that, and that may negatively affect your planning for earning vacation (you have to have enough sick to go through the 15th of that month for that month to earn vacation). Second, when you go off the paycheck, don't assume that the "you can send FDX the monthly premium for your healthcare process" will go smoothly, it won't. In all cases, you will be talking to Harvey Watt, filling out Harvey Watt forms, and letting them have access to all your medical records, and perhaps collecting those records up for Harvey Watt. If you have the FPA LTD plan (12 month or 24 month) you get to do it all over again on slightly different forms. Then again for FDX LTD. And again for the SSA. As per the benefit book you have to apply to the SSA if you want your LTD benefit. As part of that, FDX-The Hartford has contracted with Allsup to help you with that process. You may be providing them all the same stuff again. You will be required to have your treating physician fill out these long convoluted forms for all these entities. The forms are all different. This typically costs you money. Suck it up. The SSA will deny most likely, then there is the appeal, then another denial, then a SSA evaluation by a "medical professional" - a PA most likely. That last could escalate to a Psychiatrist, allegedly (don't know). Then another denial, then a hearing in front of a Administrative Law Judge. Allsup will provide counsel. This all takes about 3 years plus. The judgement is about another 120 days. I believe that ruling can be appealed. When and if SSA provides disability benefits, 70 cents on each dollar will be repayed to the FDX LTD plan (The Hartford) for the period already paid covered by the SSA (the dates for the starts on these things wont be congruent). Then, going forward, your FDX LTD payment will be reduced as such. Again, Allsup will help manage this process.......Allsup is about as responsive as all the other entities. The whole process is to reduce the payout from the FDX LTD plan, it really isn't about you.

Nightflyer

I had a conversation with a guy who had a heart attack and came back to work. He said navigating which banks to use and when was a mine field. He said ALPA wasn't much help and he had to learn as he went. He said the company would only tell him information when he asked a specific question. They would not volunteer info, but only give it out when he asked. I think this is unsat. For example, if you use all of your sick bank in January, and then you are out on disability for the rest of the year, then in December you have to pay most of those hours back in cash to the company, because the sick bank accrues on a monthly basis. So, I think he recommended using vacation first, since that is accrued from the previous year, then your disability bank, and use sick bank last. Also, I believe he said you could reduce your pay hours to basically whatever you wanted, to stretch out your banks, but I would check on the minimum hours your need to "work" to accrue your sick, vacation, and health benefits.

My advice is to find someone who has been out for a while and ask lots of questions. Ask lots of questions to ALPA and the company as well.

I really think ALPA needs to publish a point paper on this like their "schoolhouse cash" paper, which was excellent.

busdriver12

I agree that ALPA should publish something helpful, because there are plenty of minefields to navigate through this process. Things that can be no big deal, and others that are huge. It is very individual to your situation.

A couple of disagreements with an earlier post, "Second, when you go off the paycheck, don't assume that the "you can send FDX the monthly premium for your healthcare process" will go smoothly, it won't. " FedEx sent the bill to our house every month, we paid for the healthcare premium when we got it. No problem, ever, obviously had a different experience.

" In all cases, you will be talking to Harvey Watt, filling out Harvey Watt forms, and letting them have access to all your medical records, and perhaps collecting those records up for Harvey Watt." Letting Harvey Watt have access to all your medical records? NO WAY, not needed, never even asked for.

As far as SSDI goes, if they turn you down, you can appeal. And you can appeal again, or not. If you don't feel that you have a valid case and are only applying because the company requires you to, you wouldn't have to jump through huge numbers of hoops to keep trying and trying again. I realize it's a benefit if you get it, but not that large of one.

And definitely ask questions of MelT, he is extremely helpful and knowledgeable.

Huh really

I never got a bill. If the premium isn't paid, you could have issues.
Harvey Watt wanted them. Harvey Watt starts the process with the company. Another pilot I know on LTD has Harvey Watt checking on him once a year. Good luck with the company if you decide not to play with Harvey Watt.
" You are responsible for applying for these other benefits. If you fail or refuse to apply for these other benefits within the time and manner required, Aetna will offset these benefits as though you did apply for and receive them. Also, you are required to appeal any denials from these sources to the full extent permitted by law." PBB.
full extent permitted by law. Alsup will follow that. Which is exactly as I described in my case.

BrownGirls YUM

Appreciate the replies.

I can attest that it would be helpful for there to be some sort of decision matrix or guide for how and when to take which steps and why when faced with LTD.

I'm nearly six years into the process right now with prospects for return unclear.

It seems to me that financially, going on SSDI is close enough to being a wash that it's not a big deal, but I was told by the ALPA R&I staff that once an LTD pilot goes on SSDI, they are forced into Medicare.

Can anyone confirm this anectdotally?

GearupMD11

I'm pretty sure once you go on Social Security Disability you start to receive a benefit that is equal to what you would get from Social Security at full retirement age (67). So your 60 and you could be getting full SSDI, you are on LTD with the company who is paying you. You have to hand over the SSDI to the company but once you retire you keep the SSDI and when you reach 67 it switches over to SS, but the payment stays the same amount but you are just being paid SS instead of SSDI. I'm pretty sure what I just said is correct. If you have kids it's even more from SSDI.

BrownGirls YUM

MeIT, Sent you PM.