Health insurance is an essential part of protection for all people who may become disabled. Having health coverage is also essential for those with disabilities. They need to receive the care of health professionals.
A good insurance policy will ensure you are able to pay for costs relating to your disability. These include rent or mortgage payment, car loan, food, and medical bills. Investing in universal health coverage for people with disabilities could help to improve the quality of life of those individuals, as well as their communities.
Benefits of Disabled Persons
If you're a disabled person, you might be eligible for government disability benefits. Social Security Disability Insurance is one of them, as are Supplemental Security Insurance and Medicaid.
The disability benefits you get may vary, depending on your state. You will be able to determine which disability program is right for you and how much you'll pay.
Medicare and SSI provide disability benefits to low-income people, but do not cover medical expenses. There are also private disability, life and long term insurance programs.
The eligibility of these benefits is based on the work history you have and the taxes that you have paid. You can apply online or in-person for these benefits.
Mental impairments are the most common type of disability, and include conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and autism. Another common disability is a physical one, such as arthritis or a back injury.
The insurance can be purchased from your employer or separately through a health insurance provider. These policies may be expensive, yet they are essential if for some reason you cannot work.
Getting Long-Term Disability Insurance
Disability insurance is increasingly offered by employers, often as part of larger employee benefits packages. LIMRA, a research firm that tracks workplace health benefits, reports that 41 percent of companies offer it. Some employers may even cover these costs for their employees.
These long term disability plans will pay out a portion of your salary, usually from 50-70%. Typically, there is an "elimination time" where you must wait to get sick or injured before receiving benefits.
This can be an especially important benefit for workers with lower salaries who don't have any other type of disability insurance to fall back on. It can also be beneficial for younger workers who may lose their jobs because of a disability.
SUNY Long Term Disability (LTD).
The University of New York provides LTD coverage for all its professional, UUP and MC employees at no cost. The University provides employees with the option of purchasing an employee-paid LTD program, which covers 60% of their earnings before disability. There is a salary limit of $16,667 for each month.
You can enroll in the LTD plan either directly through The Standard or your SUNY Human Resources office. You will need to fill out a brief application and provide proof of your insurability such as a medical exam.