1)Introduction. This chapter covers hints for dealing with insurance companies, reassessments, C.P.P. disability insurance and how to avoid some of the problems other people have had to face. 2)** Resources for insurance claims #94023-9 3)** Magnitude for insurance companies. At the Physical Medicine Research Foundation Conference held in Vancouver on May,1994, Dr. Cameroon, Medical Director for London Life Insurance, discussed long-term disability claims, comparing M.E., F.M., and R.S.I. (Repetitive Strain Injuries).
| TYPE OF CLAIM (figures as of 1994) |
M.E. |
F.M. |
R.S.I. |
| # of claims |
78 |
224 |
149 |
| % of total long term disability payout |
1% |
2.8% |
1.9% |
| % males |
18 |
20 |
70 |
| % females |
82 |
80 |
30 |
| Mean age |
43 |
52 |
56 |
| Average duration (months of claim) |
37 |
45 |
49 |
| Annual projected cost in millions (London Life) |
$1.3 |
$2.2 |
$1.5 |
| Total industry cost of claims |
$27 |
$46 |
$30 |
** Note: London Life carries approximately 5% of the
Canadian share of long-term disability claims.
4)Life Insurance. Most life insurance
companies will not pay an insurance claim for
suicide within two years of you purchasing the
policy. Most life insurance companies require a
modest medical history, sometimes a blood test.
Approximate cost for term life insurance is $30
per month for $250,000 for a 30 year old male.
When you make your application, present the
truth, but only in a way that benefits you. Do not
lie, because they can then cancel the policy and not
pay your beneficiary. Ensure that you have
adequate coverage early on in the illness.
a)** Life insurance policies. Some
insurance companies will pay your
premiums while you are disabled. Check
your policy to see whether you have the
disability option; if you don't, try to add it
on.
b)** Healthy family member insurance
coverage. Since M.E. may be contagious
in the first six months, ensure that other
family members are covered with life and
disability insurance and on personal loans
or mortgages. This prevents two people
from being sick without coverage. If the
healthy family member becomes sick with
any type of illness, you need that extra
protection even more.
5)** Mortgage insurance policies.
When you applied for your mortgage, you may
have applied for mortgage insurance. Check to
see whether you have a disability benefit, so that
your mortgage payments are made by the
insurance company while you are ill. If you don't
have this insurance, see if you can add it on. If
you carry this insurance, your monthly payments
will be made during the term of your disability.
6)** Car loan, or other personal
loan. You may have disability insurance
coverage on your personal loans - if not, see
whether you can add it on.
a)Financial institutions will consider your
C.P.P. benefits (including your children's
portion) when you apply for a loan, as long
as they feel confident that you will be
receiving these funds for the foreseeable
future.
7)** U.I.C. provides up to 15 weeks
of sick benefits, but they must fall within your
one-year U.I.C. claim. Your doctor must fill out
a special form in order for you to receive this
benefit. If you have filled in U.I.C. claim forms
saying that you have been willing and able to
work, when in reality you were too sick to work,
you can make a "voluntary disclosure" (by phone)
to tell U.I.C. that you have incorrectly filled in
previous report cards. This might prevent U.I.C.
from assessing you a penalty because you did not
tell the truth.
8) ** Help with insurance problems -
who to contact:
a)The Insurance Bureau of Canada, Phone
#1-800-609-6552;
b)** Send a copy of your insurance report
to The Insurance Inspector for the
Government if you have been having
problems;
c)The Canadian Life and Health Insurance
Association (CLHIA) #94017-1 has a free
booklet "Where Will The Money Come
From If You're Disabled?" Counsellors
are available for insurance and disability
advice Phone #1- 800-268-8099.
d)The National M.E./F.M. Action Network
has people specializing in helping those
with insurance problems. Lydia Nielson
(#613) 829-6667) is in touch with lawyers
who will handle M.E. or F.M. cases.
e) M.E. Canada has a fulltime legal aid
staff member who will help you and/or
your lawyer.
f)The Insurance Council of B.C. is located
at #225-701 West Georgia, Vancouver,
B.C. V7Y 1C6 (phone #688-0321).
g)** The Insurance Institution Commission
with the Superintendent of Insurance.
Phone #660-2947/ fax 660-3170.
9)** Harassment by an insurance
company. If you are being harassed with
phone calls by your insurance company, make sure
you take the upper hand in the conversation. The
first thing to say is "Just a minute while I get my
tape recorder" (It is legal to tape-record a
conversation as long as the other person is aware
that this is being done.) Ask his name, address,
title, supervisor's name, date and time. If you do
not have a recorder, take good notes. Follow up
the conversation with a letter to the insurance
company, detailing and confirming what was
discussed. This letter then becomes a legally
binding document if the company accepts it.
Learn the techniques used by insurance companies
to your advantage.
10)** Disability Insurance.
a)** Private disability insurance. There
are very few insurance companies that give
private disability insurance. If you have
short term/long term disability through
work, make use of it. It is there for your
benefit. It is much harder to get
compensation once your employment is
terminated than it is to take the disability
now. {PO}{It is better to be on disability
and worry about what your employer thinks
later; don't leave yourself high and dry.}
b)** Agenda for short and long-term
disability. The normal procedure for most
companies is to put you on short-term
disability for 3 - 6 months; you then have
to fill out more forms to go on long-term
disability. The insurance company will
then cover you for at least a year. At that
time, most insurance companies will insist
that you apply for C.P.P. disability
benefits. During the 2nd year , they will
usually require you to see one of their
"independent specialists" (usually a
psychiatrist). At this point, they will try to
disqualify you from receiving further
benefits by stating that you have a
psychological disorder, or are not sick. If
you have passed this obstacle, it gets harder
and harder each year to continue to receive
benefits. {PO}{It is rare for someone to be
on long-term disability benefits longer than
3 years. From my experience, I would
estimate 90% - 95% of M.E. and F.M.
patients still eligible for long-term
disability have been denied further benefits
sometime during the 2nd or 3rd year of
their claim.}
(1)** Several insurance policies
state that they will not cover you
longer than 1 or 2 years if you have
a depressive illness. It is very
important that you do not use
"depression" as your main
disability, or you may be terminated
from receiving benefits.
(2)** Some insurance policies state
that they must prove that you are
capable of doing the job that they
suggest you can do.
c)** Check your insurance policy. Read
your short and long-term policy carefully,
and follow the requirements so that you are
aware of your rights, avoiding such things
as cut-off or expiry dates. This will also
make you aware of your company's
obligations - in some instances employers
state in the contract that they will keep
your job open for 1 year, and after that
they can give you any job with the
company. Ensure you look at the detailed
contract, not the abbreviated form some
employers and unions give to new
employees. The shortened version may
have important details left out.
(1)** Policy deadlines. Many
long-term disability and insurance
contracts have deadlines for you to
make a claim. Some of them are as
short as 6 months, or 1 year. You
do not have to be diagnosed with a
specific illness to make a claim, you
only need to be unable to work.
Read your policy thoroughly. If
you have a group policy, you will
not usually get a copy of the actual
contract, but just a summary.
Obtain a copy of the full policy
from your employer, or get
something in writing stating any
deadlines.
(2)** Policies and government
regulations change. Keep
up-to-date on any policy changes
that might affect you.
d)** Your employer is not obligated to
keep any position open for you longer
than 6 months while you are on long-term
disability. In some cases, long-term
disability claims can continue for many
years, even if your job is terminated.
e)** What job will be kept for me?
#940901-1 The Supreme Court of Canada
has made several rulings with regard to the
type of job you can expect to return to
when your health improves. Several
long-term disability insurance policies state
that your job will be held for one year.
After that time, your employer (or the
government) cannot ask you to take a job
that is a in a lower position or pay, eg you
are not expected to go from an executive
position to a "McDonald's employee"
position.
f) If you move while you are on long-term
disability, your insurance company may
cancel your claim.
g)** Disability insurance claims that are
being pursued through the court system can
take anywhere from 2 -5 years to be
resolved, so don't expect money to come
quickly from your lawsuit.
h)** Fees. Your disability insurance
company may be responsible for paying
your lawyer's fees. (#92056 Video3 @
0:03).
(1)** Some doctors will postpone
their fees till after your case is
settled. {PO}{Like everything, it
doesn't hurt to ask}
i)** Any legal settlement you make will
probably have the amount of your future
C.P.P. disability benefits taken off. Watch
the time limit for applying for C.P.P.
disability benefits, and if you are able, it
might be an idea to apply for C.P.P. after
you settle your case, so that your C.P.P.
benefits will not be included in your
settlement, thus increasing the amount that
you receive.
j)** Name drop. Even if you don't have
written reports from particular specialists,
G.P.s, psychologists, or allergists that you
have seen, if they were good use their
names in your general history letter. It
adds more credibility to your case.
k)** Tests that may help your insurance
claim:
(1)See if you can get into the sleep
clinic at UBC. You will be asked
to sleep overnight at this clinic.
Your brain waves will be monitored
while you sleep. They are looking
for abnormal brain-wave sleeping
patterns - it has been discovered that
many M.E. and F.M. patients have
abnormal patterns.
l)** Medical report authorization form.
Most insurance companies require that you
sign a release form so they can have access
to the medical report given by their
"independent specialist". One support
group leader has written the following on
the form, and it works well for her: 'this
signature is only valid on the condition that
I receive full and complete copies of all
medical reports, written or verbal, and that
they are sent to my home address at the
same time they are forwarded by this
doctor". This statement ensures that you
get access to these reports, which you are
normally not allowed to have, and that the
insurance company cannot get the reports
without your signature. This works the
same as if you are buying a house, where
you have a "subject to" condition on an
offer. The contract is not valid until those
conditions are met; if the conditions are not
met your signature is not valid, which
means they are breaking the contract by
getting that report. If you do not put this
clause into the contract, then the contract is
between your company and the insurance
company, not you - you are not entitled to
a copy of the policy in that case. #93931-2.
(1)** Blanket Release Form. Some
insurance companies will have you
sign a blanket release form at the
beginning of your claim, which
allows them access to each doctor
you have ever, or will ever see, as
well as all your medical records.
Be cautious on what you sign, and
use the clause above to protect
yourself. Never sign a blanket
form.
(2)** There may be an expiry date
to this form - sometimes these forms
are valid for only one year, but are
still used by insurance companies
after that.
(3)** You can ask your G.P. not to
send any reports without your
permission.
(4)** You might request your G.P.
to ask your "insurance" doctor for a
copy of the report - he may be kind
enough to send one.
m)** Frequency of reports. The
insurance company has the legal right to
have you or your doctor fill out forms
whenever, and as often as it deems
necessary.
n)** Procedures for Insurance
companies:
(1) You have the right, when an
insurance company sends you to
their "independent doctor", to insist
on a doctor of your gender. Legally
you must see an independent doctor
for assessment with regard to your
claim. The word "independent"
may be taken to mean "not on their
payroll".
(2)To my knowledge, other than a
gender issue, you are required to
see the doctor they refer you to, but
you can request or challenge a
doctor that they choose. Opening
statement for this might be "Why
should I go to a psychiatrist, when
they are not the doctors that
diagnose M.E. or F.M.? I will go
to an internalist, a rheumatologist,
or an infectious disease specialist
that:
(a)is educated enough to
know that M.E. or F.M. are
organic illnesses;
(b)has diagnosed several
people with M.E. or F.M.;
(c)I will pay half of the fee
so that we can both be
assured that this is a truly
independent assessment.
(d)you can make this
request, but it appears to be
up to the insurance
company's discretion
whether they will act upon
it.
(3)** Insurance companies have an
appeal process. This process is
questionable, but worth a try. If
you have insurance company
questions, contact the Insurance
Institution Commission With The
Superintendent of Insurance, phone
#660-2947.
(4)** Never assume people received
your letter - it might be lost in the
mail or the recipient might have
misfiled it. Phone to confirm that
your letter was received, getting the
person's name, date, time, and the
particulars, or send it registered or
double-registered mail.
o)** Be specific on applications. Be
cautious how you fill out applications and
questionnaires for your disability coverage
- be very specific about your limitations.
eg do not say only that you cannot walk,
express it more as "I cannot walk more
than 1 block at a time, and suffer for many
hours (or days as the case may be)
after over-exerting myself". Many
people have made statements to the
effect that they cannot walk, then
are caught by a private investigator
who has video-taped them walking.
The insurance company will deny
you further benefits based on this
evidence, as you "misrepresented"
yourself and are able to do more
than you stated you could. I am
aware of at least 7 people from the
B.C.T.F. (British Columbia
Teacher's Federation) who have
been followed and video-taped by a
detective and subsequently been
denied further benefits, because
they were seen doing more than
they had stated that they could on
their application (eg walking to buy
groceries).
(1)** Pratima (Phone #421-0147
Burnaby) has agreed to collect
names and be a liaison for anyone
having problems with long-term
disability insurance with the
B.C.T.F. She is also investigating
the possibility of a class-action
lawsuit against the B.C.T.F.
(2)** B.C.T.F. appears to have a
tribunal type appeals process.
#94017-3.
(3)** B.C.G.E.U. (British
Columbia Government Employees
Union). For those who belong to
the B.C.G.E.U. and are having
difficulties with their disability
insurance, contact Bruce Thomson,
RR#2, Site 21, C30 Gabriola
Island,BC V0R 1X0.
(4) ** Unions and Contracts.
During the time I have spent as a
support group leader, "in general",
unions are not very aggressive in
helping people with M.E. or F.M.
Press your shop steward and the
union to protect you. Use their help
- that's what you pay your dues for.
Read the union and non-union
contracts that you sign, to make
sure you know your rights, and
discuss this with your lawyer. A
minimal fee (possibly over the
phone) is worth the effort to make
sure you protect yourself during the
many years it takes to get over this
illness. Don't assume people will
be fair, just, and compassionate.
p)** Appeal the decision if you are
denied further benefits through your
long-term disability plan. Most policies
have an appeal process.
q)** Rehabilitation Inspection. You may
be asked, or required, to go to a
rehabilitation centre for a physical
assessment to determine your limitations.
Bring someone with you, and bring a tape
recorder so that you won't get intimidated
as easily. Also bring your "specific history
letter", as well as the one-page "general
letter", and make sure it is read. Bring a
letter stating that, as with all M.E. and
F.M. patients, the problem is not only what
you have difficulty with now, but to an
even larger extent that doing this action
may cause an increase in your symptoms
over hours, days, or even weeks that it
takes to recover from this physical test.
From what I understand, you are required
to go to this inspection, but you may give
them this information. You have the right
to stop when you have reached your limit
and not over-exert yourself (eg ride their
exercise bike for one minute and stop with
a statement "This is as far as I can go
without harming myself").
(1)** Leslie Tough, a lawyer from
Winnipeg, Manitoba specializing in
M.E., states that insurance
companies can not force you to do
tests contrary to what your doctor
recommends. However the
insurance company can "cut
you off" as being
uncooperative. {PO}{This
appears to be the way a lot
of the laws for disabled
people work. It may be
against the law to do
something, but you have to
hire a lawyer and take them
to court to get justice.}
r)** Resigning from your job. Don't
resign from your job if you are ill.
Legally, if you have resigned, and then try
to go back after you have discovered the
reason for your illness, or have more proof
that you have M.E. or F.M., you will have
a difficult time with the company, as
according to their records you had left of
your own free will.
s)** Standard Insurance Company. If
you are having a problem with this
insurance company, you can call
#1-800-366-6056. #94020-3. The CFIDS
Association (as of 1993/07) was
investigating unfair insurance practices
such as phoning and harassing patients, and
asking information. #93046-12.
11)** C.P.P. Disability Benefits
#90049; #93058; #94022-8; #950103-9
a)** There are several examples of form
letters for C.P.P. and insurance
applications in the "M.E. and F.M.
Library Materials" #90049; #93003 More
information can be obtained by calling
C.P.P. #666-3040 or 1-800-667-1277.
b)Contact B.C. Coalition for People with
Disabilities for assistance in filling out
your C.P.P. application.!!!
c)Get a computer printout from your
pharmacist of all prescription drugs
received in the last 2 years. This printout
lists the prescribing doctor's name, the
drug prescribed, and the price of the drug.
d)** Include a list of all the favourable
doctors you have seen on your application.
You can call Medical Services Plan find
this information.
e)** Within the application package for
C.P.P. disability benefits is a medical
section that must be filled in by your
doctor. Coach your doctor on what he
needs to write - the following must be
stated in order for your application to be
approved:
(1)You cannot be gainfully
employed at the present time;
(2)Your disability/illness is severe;
(3)Your disability/illness is
pro-longed (longer than 1 year's
duration);
(4)Your disability is permanent for
the foreseeable future (using this
statement allows the doctor some
flexibility in his prognosis, as he
may not want to state that the
disability is permanent for all time).
(a)** Another term your
doctor might be more
comfortable in using might
be "possibly permanent", or
"apparently permanent".
(5)** Tell the doctor you will mail
the form for him, and look at what
was written.
Your doctor must be accurate and precise
in what he states. Many applications have
been turned down due to vague or
ambiguous answers by both doctors and
patients. If you do not have a diagnosis
yet, you are still eligible for the benefits, as
long as you fit into the criteria. Read all of
the material in the C.P.P. package provided
by M.E.B.C. included in the "M.E. and
F.M. Library Materials" (#90049; #93003)
to be sure you are producing letters and
information that will get your application approved
the first time around.
f)** C.P.P. has "independent
Specialists" As of 95/10, C.P.P. is
sometimes making people see an
"Independent Specialist". I was told that
they decide which specialist you will see
from their approval list. You may be able
to ask for that list and find a doctor who is
knowledgeable on M.E. or F.M. You
might try getting your specialist or another
favourable doctor added to that list, then go
to him. Please pass any names on to
myself so that I can add the name to the
doctor's list, and others can benefit.
(1)** Neuropsychological tests.
You may be requested to have this
test done, after your C.P.P.
application is reviewed.
#950301-14. Many psychologists
that are familiar with M.E. have
shown these tests display that the
major symptom of an M.E. patient
is not depression. It is essential that
you get a psychologist that is
familiar and that believes in M.E.
or F.M., that has done the tests
before for an M.E. or F.M. person,
and that he is up-to-date on the
current information.
g)** Optimism. #90041 "No note of
unwarranted optimism should be included,
rather the bleak factual prognosis should be
spelled out even though we all wish to
return to the workforce at the earliest
possible opportunity."
h)** When you are filling out your
application, avoid statements that suggest
that you are able to do light work at the
present time.
i)** Have someone who is familiar with
your symptoms describe in a letter how
your disability has changed your lifestyle.
j)** Use the "specific history letter" as
described previously in Chapter #11 to
inform C.P.P. of all the pertinent facts, and
how having M.E. or F.M. has effected
your lifestyle.
(1)** Details in your letter, not on
the application. Do not put detailed
information in the application form.
Put down "Please refer to attached
letter for details". This ensures that
they read your attached letter, and it
allows you to give more details.
k)** Include your name and S.I.N. on all
pages attached to the application. Your
C.P.P. application goes to many
departments before final approval.
Identifying the pages minimizes the risk of
pages being lost in the shuffle.
l)Tell the truth in your application, but
present the truth to your advantage.
m)** There is about a four-month delay
in processing your application.
Approximately 70% of M.E. and F.M.
applications are rejected on the first
submission, but after the second or third
appeal most people do finally get
assistance.
n)There seems to be a long delay from the
time your application is approved to the
time you are notified. You can call C.P.P.
directly to find the status of your
application. They will also tell you when
you can expect to receive your first cheque.
o)** Try calling your local M.P. to help
with the approval of your C.P.P.
application or appeal.
p)** You have 90 days to make an appeal
if you are turned down. You can have an
extension of up to 6 months to make this
appeal, if you request so by letter. Contact
the B.C. Coalition of People with
Disabilities for advice. According to the
coalition, with their help your success rate
on an appeal increases to 90% (95/08).
Phone #875-0188/ fax #875- 9227/
#1-800-663- 1278.
(1)** You must have a reason for
making an appeal - you cannot say
"It wasn't fair that you turned me
down".
q) ** Personal Disability File. You may
request the entire contents of your file from
C.P.P., so that you can look at reports sent
in by a doctor who you might not be aware
of, or to verify anything that might be
detrimental to your case.
r)** The National M.E./F.M. Action
Network (3836 Carling Avenue, Hwy 17B,
Nepean, Ontario K2H 7V2 Phone #(613)
829-6667) has a system in place to help
with insurance matters.
s)** Your application for C.P.P. benefits
can be back-dated up to 15 months before
the actual date of your application. You
may be eligible for benefits even though
you were late in applying.
t)** C.P.P. benefits can be deposited
directly into your bank account.
u)** Most private insurance companies
will insist that you apply for C.P.P. once
you have been receiving long-term
disability benefits for one year. If you are
currently receiving tax-free disability
benefits from a private insurance company,
you may not want to put much effort into
applying for C.P.P. Any benefits you
receive from C.P.P. dated for the time you
collected long-term disability (except those
funds designated for your children) will
have to be paid back to the private
insurance company. You must also pay
taxes on C.P.P. benefits. You will actually
be worse off collecting C.P.P. benefits
while on long-term disability.
(1)** The Other Side of The Coin.
Be cautious about not applying for
C.P.P. benefits. If your insurance
company stops paying you benefits,
having the C.P.P. income would
soften the blow.
v)** You should apply for C.P.P.
benefits as soon as possible after you
become disabled, preferably within one
year of your last employment.
w)** C.P.P. may go back over the last 40
years of your employment to determine
how much you will receive. Keep asking
until you get the answer that you want.
(1)** You can collect benefits even
though you may not have worked in
the last 10 years. As an example, if
you had to quit work in order to
raise your children, and are now
disabled, you may be able to
collect.
(2)** If you are divorced, and have
never worked outside of the home,
you can "split the assets" of your
divorced partner. I understand it
does not affect the other person's
benefits.
(3)** You can collect the disability
pension at any age, although you
must have contributed to the plan in
order to collect any benefits. In the
case of a divorce, or spouse's death,
that person must have contributed to
the plan in order for you to collect
any benefits.
(4)** You can get benefits for each
of your children, up to $157 per
month per child up to age 18, and
full-time students to age 25.
x)** C.P.P. does not deduct any income
tax at source - this becomes important
when you receive your first benefit
payment, since that one will include a
lump-sum for any eligible back-payments
(sometimes amounting to more than
$10,000). Budget for this once you start
receiving benefits. Taxes are not paid on
your child(ren)'s portion of your disability
benefit. The T4 you receive from C.P.P.
includes only the portion that pertains to
you, and does not include the monies paid
on behalf of your children.
(1)** C.P.P. will deduct your
income tax on a monthly basis if
you request them to do so.
y)** When you complete your income tax
return, decide which year the lump-sum
payment should be used for - the year(s) it
was back-dated for or the year it was
actually received. According to the income
tax department, claim the lump-sum
payment for the year it was back-dated to,
fill out your current year's taxes as though
you did not receive the lump-sum payment,
and the tax department will decide what
portion of your lump-sum payment to apply
to what year - eg 80% for 1994, 20% for
1995. They make the decision to whatever
works best for your circumstances.
z)** Your best effort makes your biggest
success. Spend a lot of time with your
application - your success rate is much
greater the more extensive your application
is. "It is much harder to clear the water
after it has been muddied with poor doctor
reports, or a bad application."
aa)** Resume. If you previously had a
resume, send this with your application to
show what qualifications you have, as well
as to give a more personal touch to your
application.
bb)** Stating your income while on
C.P.P. When you apply for other benefits,
state only your income, not the disability
portion you receive for your children;
otherwise your income might be above the
eligibility requirements for some of the
benefits. Unless specifically asked, you are
not obliged to give out unrequested
information.
cc)** You can go back to work on a trial
basis for up to 4 months without losing
your benefits (95/06). However, you
MUST make prior arrangements with
C.P.P. I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO
SPEAK WITH SOMEONE FROM THE
B.C. COALITION OF PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES FIRST!! C.P.P. benefits
are easily terminated, but extremely
difficult to have re-instated. If you go back
to work, you may have to work for 3 years
before you are eligible to reapply for benefits. #950603-1
(1)** Must take any job. Insurance
policies generally state that after a
period of time (1 or 2 years) if you
can't go back to your original job,
you must try to work at something
else (usually 60% - 80% of your
original salary), and within your
educational background. If you are
a teacher, you are not expected to
park cars for a living.
dd) You may be able to take 1 night
school class without losing your benefits.
However, again, please speak to someone
from the B.C. Coalition for People with
Disabilities for advice.
ee)** Volunteer activities. As of April 7,
1995, you are able to do volunteer
activities #950603-1
ff)** Re-assessment. You can be
reassessed up to 3 times per year while you
are on C.P.P. disability, depending on the
illness. Of the people I have spoken to
over the years regarding C.P.P. disability
benefits, approximately 3% have been
re-assessed, but not necessarily
disqualified.
gg)** Your G.P. or specialist may be
contacted for discussions without your
permission by the insurance companies or
the government (eg Driver's License
Renewal). Make sure you inform your GP
of a possible call and your positive details,
or that you insist that no information be
given without your permission.
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