Employee Authorization-just sent in a new form

You have a right to your medical information

My husband just revoked his prior employee authorization for release of info from GWL. He sent in a new form but on the GWL page for signature he put see page 2.

On page 2 he has:
Application for Disability Income Benefits Employee’s Authorization Request

Signature is only valid on the condition that I receive full and complete copies of all medical reports or related correspondence, and that they are sent to my home address at the same time they are forwarded by this doctor/provider.

Mailing address:
(put yours)
Any questions or concerns please call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx
I will also pay reasonable copying and postage fees. If fees are greater than $35.00 please contact in advance.


Print Employee Name Employee Signature

1 Like

Is this the form that we sign authorizing the insurer an access to our medical providers?

Does it work? Do they really send a copy to you as well?

I just did it today! It is the form with your initial application. I printed another one out and on that form where it asked for signature I put-See Page 2

Then page 2 is what I typed out and attached. My spouse sent an email :slight_smile:

Please ensure that the attached employee authorization is updated in my file.

Any prior authorization’s on file are no longer valid and I revoke my consent on their future use.

Going forward the new authorization dated on June 22, 2017 (2 pages) I give my full consent to Great West to use.

1 Like

If they don’t send a copy to you as well then it is a privacy breach

Interesting. Good to know.

I would advise anyone who is asked to do vocational, rehab or IME to then revoke prior consent and add this. It is reasonable for you to be informed of all medical information that pertains to you.

2 Likes

Sun Life-new forms https://www.sunlife.ca/static/canada/Sponsor/About%20Group%20Benefits/Forms/Static%20files%20for%20the%20Forms%20page/STD_Plan_Member_(Non-SunAdvantage)_Package_E_enabled.pdf

Obviously someone took Sun Life on and must have settled. If you look at this form it says any reports will be sent to your family or treating doctor. You have a right to these reports directly-so again using the above employee authorization is a must if you want a copy. There is no need to burden your 10 minute Dr. appt going over an Insurer’s report!

If you are involved with any rehabilitation/medical coordination you will also want copies of all reports and clinical or chart notes on a regular basis.

It also says that there abilities manager will work with your physician or > their health partners to ensure you are receiving appropriate treatment. Wow-caution ahead-you want your doctor involved. They also note a health partner may be an occupational therapist. (at the bottom of the form)

An occupational therapist should not be determining your treatment needs or medically managing your treatment-that is clearly within the scope of practice of a Physician–Not a case manager or OT.

An OT should not be making a treatment plan outside of their scope of practice.

It says short-term disability forms.

Does sunlife manage both std and ltd?

Mine are managed by two different companies.

Yes-same forms for std and ltd. My husbands GWL-they handled both std and ltd.

In my husbands claim it was a GWL rehab consultant (OT) that decided she knew more than his Surgeon and Family Doctor and decided to switch up his treatment plan.

He had been diagnosed with exertional compartment syndrome (exercised induced pain) in both legs.
He was 5 weeks out of surgery and going to physio at the hospital.

There were complications as he still had the same pain after surgeries. GWL rehab was going to talk to his treatment providers and do some research.

She came up with a plan that what he needed was more exercise-work hardening paired with a pain psychologist.

She played Doctor. It was a disaster.

( She never got any medical clearance for the plan) She also forecasted herself being paid over 4000 to medically manage him)

Heard from GWL and the new authorization form is acceptable to them-no issues. So at least with GWL go ahead and use if you like :relaxed:

1 Like

Good to hear! Thanks for sharing.

You gave me an idea. I am going to request a full copy of my file from my STD provider. My LTD is managed by a different company. I guess, my request for a file won’t be shared with my employer or LTD provider. Then I can see what their thoughts were without causing any suspicion.

Well, she’s got to do what she’s got to do to get you back on track :slightly_smiling_face:

Also getting a copy of your claim file is useful if it also includes medical information that you don’t have to pay for. As well if your claim ever derails and you need to go legal. Cheaper for you to have all your documents organized than pay a lawyer to request

We are suing her. It will be good therapy for my husband.

Well, one step at a time.

“Suing therapy” :slightly_smiling_face:

Can she be sued as an individual if she acted on behalf of a company? Who is responsible for her actions in the end?

You would sue both the OT and GWL (Insurer) GWL is responsible for their employees under Respondeat superior ( ie: master is responsible for their servant) and plead in the alternative the OT acted outside of her employment.

All service providers that are licensed (OT, PT, Psych) have mandatory requirements for liability insurance and are responsible for their conduct and actions even within an employment relationship. Kudos to the effort it takes to gain the education to become a professional health provider-but licensing is a privilege and protection for the public.

No one should be lied to and made to cooperate in a bogus health and psych testing. He was lied to, lied about and mocked in the claim file so they could support a claim denial on non compliance.

Almost 2 years later and he is still on claim-look at the money they could have saved-except we have the proof it was all bogus-so they had to keep paying.

Suing can be therapy-it is a public statement of your claim, He wants to be heard so he can move on. I did not want the stress of a lawsuit but when they cut his benefits in half–then I told my husband I would support him filing a claim…

1 Like