By Ian Bridgman, Executive Director, The Claim Lab; Fred Schott, Consultant, Council for Disability Income Awareness Research shows that depression and anxiety are risk factors for new disabilities. While this is not news to medical experts, it may be for claims adjusters and others in the integrated disability and absence management (IDAM) space, whose…
By Fred Schott I was born in 1950. That means I spent my 20s in the 70s, and now I get to spend my 70s in the 20s. I remember when rock was young. Susie and I had so much fun holding hands and skimming stones. I had an old gold Chevy and a place…
Christi Doe, M.Ed., CPDM, Senior Consultant, Member Relations, Council for Disability Income Awareness With decades of experience in the insurance industry and as someone who has experienced a difficult period of isolation, I’m increasingly interested in the relationship between loneliness and health-related disabilities. Today, America is in the middle of a loneliness epidemic that…
Can Your Smartwatch Make You Sick? Lately, I’ve started wondering if I should get a smartwatch. Friends of mine routinely take calls or texts on their Apple® or Google® watches. Others track their steps or monitor their hearts. Paying for a coffee with a smartwatch looks so easy. And yes, some designs look terrific.…
The Future of Work through Three Lenses: Climate Change, Artificial Intelligence & Disease by Margaret O’Neill, SmithGroup Part III: Another Pandemic? This paper, focused on the threat of another global pandemic, is the third in a 3-part series that considers the potential headwinds and tailwinds affecting work as we know it in America. This paper will…
At 26 years old and newly married, I was excited when the two pink lines on a pregnancy test indicated that I was expecting. From the start, I did all of the “right” things. I confirmed a viable pregnancy with my OB, waited until it felt “safe” to tell friends and family, scheduled all of…
Everybody wants to find a workplace that values its employees and provides a healthy working environment. However, 93% of Americans suffer from work-related stress and millions more live in constant financial anxiety due to inadequate access to disability coverage. If this combination of stress and inadequate support sounds familiar, then you should know that you’re…
7.3 million students were living with disabilities in the U.S. public school system in the 2021-22 school year, making up 15% of national public school enrollment, according to data from the Pew Research Center. This number includes pre-k students through 12th graders. However, teenagers living with a disability, in particular, face unique challenges that…
By Dr. Jonathan Torres, Medical Director, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits Like many other people, I was going through life busy raising children, working and making time for hobbies and travel when possible. I had completed medical school, residency training and served as a physician in the U.S. Air Force. During those more than 27 years as…
By Holly Devine Editor’s Note: Holly Devine grew up knowing how to advocate for herself and what she needed – as it related to being a person with a physical disability. But it wasn’t until she was working at her first job after college that she learned how to ask for support with a mental…
