I work for a small company that does not have STD benefits, so the company pays up to 4 weeks and a LTD company picks up the last 2 weeks. I have recently been denied LTD benfits for my maternity leave. They say I have a 90-day waiting period, that because I went to the doctors office on Dec 20 to have a blood test for confirmation, and my benefits were supposed to start on Jan 1, they will not cover the 5th and 6th week of my leave. They say it was a pre-existing condition. Is that true, can they consider pregnancy as a pre-existing condition? Please help, the money I would have gotten, about $680, is really needed and I would like to appeal if I have a leg to stand on.

Thank you

Unfortunately, this is legal. Most disability plans will not cover a known pregnancy that came to be before you were on the plan. This is to avoid people singing up in their 8th month, and then dropping it as soon as benefits have been paid out.

you can read the plan document to see if there is an exception for pregnancy under pre-existing conditions, but I doubt it.

Unfortunately, I cant find any information on thier website or even in the company handbook about it. Its not even in thier administrative manual for the hr person.

It would be in the plan documents for the plan, not in the ee manual or on the website.

Just curious, is there any way to fight it and win? I only went in for the blood test and I was only 11 days shy of the 90 days. If I appeal it, do I have a shot at winning?

You can try. But I wouldn't be holding my breath.

It isn't the fact that you sought treatment for the condition, it is that you had the condition. Your were already pregnant, therefore, it was a pre-existing condition. You are welcome to appeal, but wouldn't count on winning. 11 days before the eligibility date is still 11 days before the eligibility date.