Steven Babitsky, Esq.

I recently interviewed a long-term disability insider on the likely impact of Covid-19 on future claims.

Here are the conclusions that the expert expressed:

  1. Long-term disability claims (claims) will increase significantly due to Covid-19.
  2. People who are at high-risk due to underlying conditions including chronic lung conditions, heart problems, cancer, diabetes, etc. are likely to file at increasing rates.
  3. People whose jobs have been eliminated will file more claims.
  4. There may be a significant number of people who are afraid to return to work who decide to file a claim.
  5. Frontline workers like physicians, nurses, EMTs, etc. may be more likely to file a claim rather than return to work.
  6. Workers whose salaries have been cut significantly are more likely to file a claim.
  7. Workers who are at higher risk due to their age will be filing more claims.
  8. People who lost their business or had to close their business may be filing more claims.
  9. There will be an increasing need for utilization reviews due to the pandemic.
  10. There will be a need for additional physicians to perform long term disability reviews.

Conclusion

Although it is hard to precisely predict what impact Covid-19 will have on the filing of utilization reviews and long-term disability claims, experts are expecting a surge in these claims in the near future. SEAK, Inc. provides a directory of Medical File Review Consultants: https://www.filereviewconsultants.com/.

SEAK provides training on How to Start, Build, and Run a Successful Disability and File Review Practice.

About the Author

Steven Babitsky Esq. is the president of SEAK, Inc. which provides information and training on supplemental income for physicians: https://www.supplementalincomeforphysicians.com/.