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Fibromyalgia & Short Term Disability Insurance

If you have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, short-term disability insurance can help pay for doctor visits and household expenses. Employers are required to have some type of disability insurance program, whether it is workers' compensation or another type of short-term insurance policy. You must remember to keep records of doctor visits, tests performed and logs of how fibromyalgia affects your daily life.

  1. Diagnosis

    • Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose. It cannot be confirmed or ruled out by blood tests, X-rays or MRIs. These tests can confirm ailments that are associated with fibromyalgia, such as hypoglycemia. Clinical observation plays a key role in diagnosing fibromyalgia. That is why your doctor must keep detailed notes of office visits. These physician notes, as well as a diary of pain and the difficulty completing tasks, will help you claim short-term disability insurance.

    Workers' Compensation

    • If you can associate the development of fibromyalgia to a work-related injury, particularly one that has resulted in chronic pain, the condition may be covered by workers' compensation insurance. Because of the elusive nature of the illness, however, this may be a difficult claim to prove.

    Workplace Short-Term Disability Program

    • If you have a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and are unable to go to work, you should contact your employer's human resources department. Find out your company's short-term disability policy and requirements. You may find that taking time off work under a short-term disability program will allow you time to rest, have physical therapy, focus on changing your diet and exercise, and learn coping skills, which may ease the symptoms of fibromyalgia somewhat and allow you to return to work.

    Short-term Supplemental Insurance Policies

    • If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and do not have short-term disability insurance, you may be able to buy a short-term supplemental insurance policy. These policies pay you directly and generally pay a daily cash benefit while you are disabled.

    When Short-term Disability Insurance Runs Out or Is Not Available

    • If you have exhausted all your short-term disability insurance options, you may qualify for Social Security disability insurance if you have worked long enough and have paid Social Security taxes.

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