Advocate Benefits - Advocate Health Care

Disability Benefits
If you become disabled due to illness or
injury and are unable to work, you can receive
continuing income benefits through Advocate’s
Disability Income Protection Plan (DIPP). Starting
January 1, 2011, this plan offers:
Short-Term Disability (STD) benefits—Continuing
income equal to 60% of your base pay through the
first five months of disability, and
Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefits—Once
your STD benefits end, continuing income
equal to 60% of your base pay for as long as
you remain disabled or, if sooner, you reach
age 65. Note: If your disability begins after you
reach age 61, LTD benefits will continue as
long as you remain disabled—but not beyond a
specified period of time.
During Benefits Enrollment, you have the
opportunity to elect a “buy-up” option to increase
your STD benefit equal to:
15% of base pay—If elected during Benefits
Enrollment for 2011, this “buy-up” option
will provide a total STD benefit equal to 75%
of base pay. No evidence of insurability is
required to qualify for this coverage.
10% of base pay—If elected any time after
Benefits Enrollment for 2011, this “buy-up”
option will provide a total STD benefit equal to
70% of base pay. Evidence of insurability (proof
of good health) will need to be submitted
before this additional coverage can take effect.
Note: This buy-up option will be available
only to newly-eligible associates or at annual
Benefits Enrollment.
You will pay the cost of this voluntary “buy-up”
STD coverage with pre-tax payroll contributions.
Both STD and LTD benefit payments are capped at
$7,500 per month. If this is less than 60% of your
base salary, you will have the option to buy-up
additional coverage—up to a maximum of $20,000
per month—through pre-tax payroll contributions.
New for 2011: “Buy-Up” option for
Short-Term Disability (STD) benefits.
The basic STD benefit will be 60% of base
pay starting in 2011, but you will have the
opportunity to purchase additional coverage
during Benefits Enrollment for 2011 equal to 15%
of base pay; after Benefits Enrollment for 2011,
this “buy-up” option will equal 10% of base pay.
Note: If you are on a Disability Leave of Absence,
the Limited Hours Program provides you an
opportunity to return to work with a reduced
schedule while continuing to receive disability
benefits. More information about this program
is available at www.advocateinfoexpress.com
(go to Advocate Benefits Online>Disability
Benefits>Limited Hours Program).
Disability Certification
Disability benefits will be paid only if your disability is certified by the Disability Council based on a
clinical assessment of your injury or illness. You are considered disabled:
During the first 24 months of your certified disability—if you cannot perform the essential
functions of your regular job because of your illness or injury. The Disability Council will review
the documentation your physician provides and reach a decision about your disability status. Time
that you work in a limited-hours capacity will count towards the 24-month disability period.
After 24 months of a certified disability—if you are unable to work at any job. This means literally
any job for which you are reasonably qualified by your education, training or experience, not just
positions available within Advocate.
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