Accessing Income Protection

Meri
Merion Sunday, March 22 2020
2 Comments

My husband suffered a stroke nov 2019 to which he developed a stutter, severe ongoing headaches and fatigue and severe anxiety. we were assigned to CBR team which were fantastic support and comforting to have all the practices and advice to help him return to work based on their opinions. 

As we both work for financial institutions, we were aware of utilising income protection via super and waited out the wait period. Having made contact with the fund, we received paperwork to proceed to submitting application and now we are at a complete halt.

Covid-19 has shutdown cbr services and been advised that we have been discharged bc of it. And now honestly feel so lost with no support. 

What makes matters disheartening is that work weren't actively supporting OT recommendations for return to work planning for last two months, now that cbr are not involved, work has now made contact saying "we were advised you been discharged, when are you coming back to work' type of response. 

Today, our GP refused to fill in medical report for income protection as no one advised of return to work date. And, I'm getting a feeling that claim won't be accepted either without it, so how is income protection benefitting stroke suffers that require long term rehab with no clear return to work date available? More so now, last three months of rehab feels a waste as have to start process all over again. 

How do we make income protection work in our favour? Seems to be a useless paid benefit at the moment. 

2 Responses
StrokeLine avatar
StrokeLine

Hi Meri,

 

Thank you for the information you've provided about your situation. I am sorry to hear about your husband’s stroke and the added challenges you're having accessing income protection and getting a clear pathway for returning to work.

 

We feel we will be best placed to provide advice over the phone if you are able to call us. Alternatively, you can send StrokeLine a private message with your phone number and a good time to call or email us using the 'Message the help desk' green tab in the bottom right hand corner on EnableMe and we can call you.

 

If income protection is an option, then it seems like a sensible pathway to pursue if returning to work isn't possible short term. Do you have a full copy of the income protection policy? Are you able to speak further to the GP or get CBR to speak with the GP? 

 

If you're unable to call us a few questions we have to help us better advise are:

 

- Has your husband been cleared by the GP to return to work or was there a rehab doctor providing this advice from CBR? Who is managing his return to work in the absence of the CBR? 

 

- Did CBR give any recommendations of what to do given they're no longer involved? Other options for supporting a return to work like private OT?

 

- Has CBR provided the GP with a report providing their recommendations for return to work? Hours, duties etc?

 

- Is the GP able or willing to provide guidance on return to work recommendations around hours of work and a plan of a graded return to work? Your husband’s doctor might be able to include some detail regarding working from home. What is the advice from your husband's HR Department. 

 

Another option might be to call the Fair work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for advice.

 

Is your husband's workplace now working from home due to COVID-19? If so, does this change things?

 

It might also be helpful to talk to your husband’s GP about a chronic disease management treatment plan and see if any private Occupational Therapists can assist with return to work via telehealth. There was an announcement last night around Medicare funding for allied health telehealth which we're trying to get more information on and can advise on.

 

I hope this helps and please do call us on StrokeLine 1800 787 653.

 

Best wishes,

 

Kath, StrokeLine

Toni avatar
Toni

Hi Meri
It must depend on who your Income Protection is with. My GP never had to supply a return to work date; I just had to see the GP each month and they completed a form which I then submitted to my superannuation's Insurance company.   
Hopefully you get it sorted soon; I know the anxiety of all the different completing all the different bits of paperwork sometimes made me question if it was worth it but in the long run it definitely was.
Toni

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