Benefits Plans - Long-Term Disability Plans: Expanded Long-Term Disability -
Provisions for Practicing Physicians
What is Practicing Physician's coverage?
Practicing physicians who are enrolled in the Expanded Long-Term Disability Plan automatically will have partial disability coverage. They have to be disabled from their own occupation. This means they are unable to practice within the terms of their University appointment. Income from another position will be considered for offset or coordination. See the example below.
If you are a practicing physician, your period of partial disability coverage begins when your Expanded Long-Term Disability Plan benefits begin. This means that you must use your sick and/or vacation time before your benefits begins.
How does this special coverage affect my disability benefits?
If you are a practicing physician and meet the definitions of disability under this Plan, you will be entitled to your earnings plus 65% of the difference between your earnings and your predisability salary.
For example, let's say you are physician who earned $100,000 a year before you become disabled. When you became disabled, you were not able to perform the clinical portion of your appointment. Now, while you are on partial disability, you carry out the teaching portion of your appointment, earning $25,000 a year. Your Plan benefits would be:
| Predisability income | $100,000 |
| Current earnings | -25,000 |
| Income subject to replacement | 75,000 |
| Disability Plan replacement | x .65 |
| Amount of disability benefit | $48,750 |
| Plus earnings | +25,000 |
| Total income | $73,750 |
If you are a practicing physician and the Plan considers you to be disabled, you must report promptly any income you earn to the Benefits Office so that your Expanded Long-Term Disability Plan benefits can be adjusted accordingly.
Definition of Physician's Disability
You are determined to be disabled when at their sole discretion the University's Claims Administrators have determined that you are completely unable, except during periods of rehabilitative employment, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment, to practice within the terms of your appointment. The impairment must be expected to result in death or have lasted—or be expected to last—for a continuous period of not less than 12 months from the last day of work.
Next: Plan Limitations and Interpretations
The University of Michigan in its sole discretion may modify, amend, or terminate the benefits provided with respect to any individual receiving benefits, including active employees, retirees, and their dependents. Although the university has elected to provide these benefits this year, no individual has a vested right to any of the benefits provided. Nothing in these materials gives any individual the right to continued benefits beyond the time the university modifies, amends, or terminates the benefit. Anyone seeking or accepting any of the benefits provided will be deemed to have accepted the terms of the benefits programs and the university's right to modify, amend or terminate them.