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Communicating to our Administrators - COVID-19

For over 175 years, New York Life has been committed to being there for our customers when they need us. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the people who have been affected by this unprecedented event.

As we continue to closely monitor the ongoing developments surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), we are dedicated to providing guidance and addressing questions related to COVID-19.

Benefit eligibility

Insureds with Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, or Office Overhead Expense coverage may be eligible for benefits if they are not able to work due to having or being exposed to COVID-19. These policies pay benefits to insureds who, as a result of a sickness or injury, are unable to perform their occupation.

Note: COVID-19 is a disease and is not a covered condition within Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance (AD&D).

In order to be eligible for benefits, insureds must submit medical documentation by a medical professional that their sickness (COVID-19 exposure) meets the policy's definition of a disability and prevents them from performing their occupation.

A quarantine situation must also be supported with medical documentation. Recommendations from elected officials or CDC guidelines, office closure or absences from work due to childcare issues do not qualify.

Many factors will determine if a claim will be covered, including the type of loss, the type of coverage, and the terms and conditions of the certificate and policy. We will evaluate whether a benefit is payable in accordance with the applicable waiting period and any other limitations, as we would for any other sickness or injury.

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New business application processing

The Group Membership Underwriting department has been working with our partners to ensure business continuity and safety during this time. ExamOne, a Quest Diagnostics Company, provides Telephone Interview and Paramedical services for our applicants during the underwriting process. They are currently following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for COVID-19.

Their team has implemented a work from home policy and their call center remains at full capacity to complete interviews. Their collection network will proceed with examinations, using the same protocol as they do today which is handling every specimen with standard biohazard safety precautions as well as additional precautions.

ExamOne and helpful resources

ExamOne has advised that the health and safety of their employees, individuals, and the communities they serve remains their priority. They are providing updated information on their website as the situation evolves: ExamOne responds to COVID-19. 

We encourage you to periodically check this webpage for updates. They have also provided additional helpful links below.

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Additional trusted business partner updates

Parameds.com, our medical records retrieval partner, is working at full capacity and has implemented remote employee protocols. Their mail processing centers only have essential personnel as well as those that can only work from the office. They are taking all recommended precautions to keep them and the environment safe. All outgoing mail is being processed as usual. They are encountering some facilities that are closed and are making sure to update us on each individual case. At the same time, they are putting together an updated list of facilities that are closed, and if they know for how long they plan to close. They have not yet been advised of any delays at copy service companies and will provide updates if anything changes.

Milliman and MIB have automated request and response procedures in place with us, and no issues are expected. Both have executed business continuity plans for their employees.