Coronavirus: Long Haulers and Disability Benefits

I've written about "Long Haulers" and COVID-19 here and here. This is what I wrote on the second post:

The article mentions that these significant symptoms are mainly those over 65, but does impact younger people. The United States has around 22 million people who have recovered from COVID-19. The question (which will be answered over the next few years) is how lingering are these health issues. And if these issues linger, it doesn't sound good for the individual or the United States: brain fog, respiratory problems, blood clots, heart trouble; those just sound like significant medical issues to me.

Well, one of the "doesn't sound good for the individuals or the United States" is brought up in a couple articles in the Los Angeles Times that looks into those who want to claim disability benefits due to COVID-19, but are having difficulties qualifying for those benefits.

This LA Times (March 10) article looks into having to deal with insurance companies:

Sandy Lewis, a pharmaceutical industry researcher, fell ill last March with what she assumed was COVID-19. She recovered but relapsed in April and again in May.

Through her employer-based insurance coverage, she received short-term disability for November and December, but the insurer, Prudential Financial, rejected her request for an extension. Soon after, she was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, or ME/CFS, a debilitating illness that can be triggered by viral infections.

. . . In Lewis’ case, a Prudential reviewer noted that her symptoms were “subjective” and that there were “no physical exam findings to correlate with any ongoing functional limitations,” according to Cassie Springer Ayeni, an Oakland disability lawyer who is representing her as well as Andersen.

If your response is, "That's why we should just get rid of private insurance," this LA Times (March 8) article indicates that dealing with Washington DC and the Social Security Disability Insurance program isn't any better:

The complex application process can take months, and only 40% of applicants end up with benefits, even after appeals. Once approved, they have to wait five months for their first check.

Applicants must show that they’re unable to earn more than $1,310 a month, or $15,720 a year, through “substantial gainful activity” and that their condition is expected to last at least a year or result in death.

Things are especially hard for those with conditions that can’t be assessed through objective screens, such as blood tests and medical imaging.

I think that certain long hauler issues such as lung or kidney damage are easy to prove. But trying to argue that you have chronic fatigue syndrome or brain fog? That seems like a hard case to make. I'm just not sure there is an easy answer to that. Do you just take everyone's word for that. The March 10th article mentions that for those with long-term disability plans through their employer might get 60% of their base salary. Someone going through the Social Security Disability Insurance program might get a little over $3,000. Those definitely seem like amounts that could encourage people to claim chronic fatigue syndrome and brain fog health problems. Though the March 8th article mentions that the average Social Security benefit is just $1,277, which is less than one would like to make.    

I don't think either article really gives a solution to how to solve this issue other than pointing out that this is likely to become a significant problem. I think the only suggestion provided is that people with long haul issues that aren't easily verified via a medical examination need to document everything as much as possible and realize that, at least for insurance companies, there is an incentive to deny claims.