In 1972, Congress passed legislation to provide automatic increases linked to a rise in consumer prices. Recipients would no longer have to wait for Congress to take action to receive an increase. The first automatic increases to Social Security benefits took effect in 1975. After 1982, cost of living adjustments (“COLAs”) were effective for December […]
The United States Department of Education recently announced it would forgive the student debt of more than 300,000 disabled borrowers. Could this impact your long-term disability benefits?The topic this pertains to is offsets (amounts that can be subtracted). Insurance carriers are allowed to take offsets from their claimants’ benefits. The “Other Income” provision of your […]
Your ERISA Watch – What a Difference Discretion MakesMayer v. Ringler Assocs. Inc., No. 20-1281, __, F.4th __, 2021 WL 3556473 (2d Cir. Aug. 12, 2021) (Before Circuit Judges Walker, Sack, and Menashi).This week’s notable decision demonstrates the uphill battle ERISA claimants face in litigation with insurers over their employee benefits, particularly where courts apply […]
At Kantor & Kantor LLP, we like to refresh and give updates on certain parts of the process we use to help individuals. We feel that the more people understand their insurance benefits, the better they will be able to fight when benefits are denied. Long-term disability (LTD) insurance is a large part of this […]
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body. Eventually, the disease can cause permanent damage or deterioration of the […]
As many healthcare providers have experienced, anti-assignment provisions in ERISA health plans can be a full stop to recovering unpaid claims. In good news, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently decided Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital v. Community Insurance Company dba Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, et al., No. 19-55053, __F.App’x__, 2020 WL […]
The Supreme Court handed down a victory on February 26, 2020, to employees whose pension, healthcare, or other benefit plans were mismanaged. Under ERISA, the federal law that governs such plans, those who manage or administer such plans are considered fiduciaries bound by strict standards that require them to act with great care and in […]
According to the National Eating Disorders Collaboration, eating disorders can develop among people with a combination of psychological, social and genetic factors. Some of the risk factors for eating disorders are:Low self-esteem, or perfectionism.Overvaluing body image in defining self-worth.Stress, depression and trauma.Avoidance of social interaction.Involvement in a sport that emphasizes body shape.Troubled family or personal […]
National Suicide Prevention Week (“NSPW”) is September 8th-14th this year. Each year, the nation’s largest suicide prevention organization, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (“AFSP”), hosts NSPW. One focus of NSPW this year is: Creating A Safety Net.This blog is a little bit about how I created a Safety Net for myself, and why you […]
Suicide is a Leading Cause of Death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports, in 2017:Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of over 47,000 people.Suicide was the second leading cause of death […]
