As part of Unum’s push to deny more claims prior to year-end, the company has been sending out voluminous requests to “update” SSDI applications as well as other monthly income such as pension and retirement income. Callers to DCS are complaining that although they’ve notified Unum many times about the status of SSDI applications, Unum is requesting updated information AGAIN.
These year-end requests are the result of Unum’s managers forcing claims handlers to obtain proof of SSDI status so that all claims are updated either with offsets or estimates before December 31, 2016. Remember that offsets and estimates coded into the BAS (Unum’s payment system) reduce financial reserves and provide immediate contributions to profitability.
This is also the time of year when Unum seems to place large numbers of claims on “reservation of rights” status. Although the company insists ROR doesn’t reduce financial reserve, large numbers of claims placed on ROR at strategic profitability reporting periods seems to suggest otherwise.
Unum is also pursuing updated medical information, and is requesting field visits, IMEs, as well as sending out short letters to physicians asking for restrictions and limitations. Claimants are reporting that even though they just updated their medical information, Unum is requesting it again.
It appears Unum’s focus is to gather as much “new” information as it can in order to play the numbers by scoffing up as many denials brought to light by its internal reviewers. I’m also hearing that Unum is denying claims indiscriminately (again) forcing people to engage in expensive litigation at a time when happiness and seasonal good cheer should be bringing families together.
By the way, I haven’t noticed any other disability insurers attempting to get a “one up on” end of the year profitability. Unum is the only culprit out there deliberately intending to steal someone’s holiday cheer.
