![]() ![]() However, she says insurers also have to keep an eye on the bottom line, which means denying claims. They have a mandate to provide benefits to those who have paid their premiums in the event they are unable to work due to any type of illness or injury, says Mulqueen. She concedes that insurance providers can be placed in a difficult position when assessing invisible conditions. However, in many instances, that is not the case.” Mandate is to provide benefits to those who pay their premiums “This should be enough for insurance companies to approve these claims. “Normally, what the person reports will be consistent with what they have reported to their doctors,” Mulqueen adds. ![]() That is because their medical opinions are often based solely on symptoms reported by the patient. “Since there may be no specific tests that can prove the nature and severity of these types of conditions, insurers will often be more critical of what treatment providers say. “Complications arise when insurance companies are faced with disability claims for invisible medical conditions such as chronic fatigue, chronic pain, long-COVID and all types of mental health conditions,” she says. Mulqueen says applying for long-term disability (LTD) benefits for an invisible condition is difficult but even more so when struggling to prove that disability. 16 to 22, states that just because you cannot see an issue, that does not mean that it is not real. The IDA, which is presenting Invisible Disabi l ities Week, Oct. ![]() The disbelief often encountered “can lead to misunderstandings, rejection by friends, family and health care providers” and it is not uncommon for the person to be accused of faking an illness or of being lazy. The Invisible Disabilit ies Association (IDA) states that someone with these conditions often has a difficult time proving they are legitimately suffering. Accusations of faking an illness or being lazy One of the biggest problems with these issues is that there is seldom a diagnostic test to prove a person is functionally unable to work. Mulqueen says invisible or hidden disabilities can cover a multitude of issues, including long- haul COVID that has symptoms that can disappear and reappear without having another diagnosis to explain them. The United Way also reports that in any given year, 20 per cent of Canadians will experience a mental health issue. The United Way of Greater Toronto states that while there are no statistics that show exactly how many Canadians have invisible disabilities, a 2012 Statistics Canada survey found 3.8 million aged 15 or older said a disability limited their daily lives. “For the vast majority of people, working and earning an income is far better financially and emotionally than staying at home, going to medical appointments and relying on an insurance company to pay only a percentage of their salary.” “People do not choose to be disabled and they certainly do not choose to be disabled from conditions that are difficult to prove,” Mulqueen adds. But make no mistake, they are suffering and the stress of dealing with a loss of benefits can exacerbate their condition. “These are people struggling with issues that can be difficult to quantify. “The investigative processes used can make claimants feel as though they are doing something wrong when all they want is to get the help they deserve so they can move forward with their lives,” she tells LegalMattersCanada.ca. Mulqueen, principal lawyer and CEO, Mulqueen Disability Law Professional Corporation, says insurance providers should rethink their procedures when evaluating claims for “invisible disabilities.”
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