Short term disability (STD)
Information
Benefit overview & benefit period
Recurrent claims
UFH
Denied claims
State plans
Your short term disability (STD) benefits are based on years of service with The Cigna Group at the time your disability leave begins.
| All active employees | |
|---|---|
| Less than 2 years of service |
75% of earnings up to 25 weeks |
| More than 2 years of service |
100% of earnings up to 6 weeks 75% of earnings 7 to 25 weeks |
If an employee returns to work and then becomes disabled again, MetLife will review the details of the claim to determine if it is a recurrent claim or a new disability claim.
| If employee returns to work for... | And the disability is due to... | Then... |
|---|---|---|
| Three months or less | The same or a related disability |
Will receive short term disability benefits for the remaining balance of that 26-week period (i.e. 26 weeks minus any time already taken) |
| More than three months | The same or a related disability |
May qualify for up to 26 weeks of short term disability benefits |
| Any period of time |
A different, unrelated disability |
May qualify for up to 26 weeks of short term disability benefits |
- At the 20th week of STD, MetLife will discuss LTD with the employee and assist with initiating an LTD claim at the employee’s request. MetLife begins this process early to allow time for information gathering to provide qualifying employees a seamless transition from STD to LTD.
- The employee will receive a packet of information including required paperwork to complete.
- MetLife will use the medical information from the STD claim, but the eligibility standards for STD and LTD are different. MetLife will also reach out to the employee’s provider(s) for any additional medical information to support an LTD claim.
- The LTD claim specialist will send the LTD acknowledgement packet and contact the employee to introduce themselves. They will explain the LTD process and packet contents in addition to the timeline for when information will be needed.
- After 30 days from the packet being sent, the LTD claim specialist will follow up to confirm it has been received and continue their initial decision phase.
- Once a decision is made about LTD, MetLife will notify The Cigna Group of the LTD claim determination.
- The employee will be contacted via telephone and through detailed written communication, notifying them of the denial, the rationale for the decision and applicable appeal information.
- If an employee’s STD or LTD claim is denied, they have the right to appeal. The appeal timeframe allows the employee 180 days to appeal the denial of their benefits in writing, including an opportunity to provide any additional information to substantiate their claim.
- If a claim denial is overturned, the claim will be reinstated and approved. MetLife will send the updated decision to your supervisor at The Cigna Group.
- Please see your State Plan Coordination Resource
Like most disability income insurance policies, MetLife’s policies contain certain exclusions, exceptions, waiting periods, reductions, limitations and terms for keeping them in force. Ask your MetLife representative for complete details.