The Group Protection segment of Lincoln National Corporation, Philadelphia, has announced the enhancement of its group short-term disability products. With new features such as Enhanced C-Section Benefit, Rehabilitation Assistance and Family Income Benefit, Lincoln's short-term disability coverage now offers policyholders additional ways to help secure their financial futures and protect their families against the financial loss that a disabling injury or illness can bring.
Lincoln's new group short-term disability benefit enhancements include:
Enhanced C-Section Benefit
More and more mothers are undergoing C-sections rather than traditional births. In fact, the C-section rate in the United States has risen for 11 straight years and now accounts for 31.8% of births.1 Lincoln recognizes this changing reality and also understands the importance of the time mother and baby need after this surgical procedure. The enhanced C-Section Benefit offers an expanded standard benefit period, to accommodate a longer eight-week recovery time. The C-Section Benefit is one more example of Lincoln's commitment to provide valuable benefits to its customers, which specifically address their needs.
Rehabilitation Assistance Benefit
Employees want to get back to work as soon as possible. Lincoln's Rehabilitation Assistance Benefit consists of three valuable components to assist them in their efforts to return-to-work. First, the Rehabilitation Incentive Benefit is designed to encourage disabled employees' participation in rehabilitation programs by providing an increased benefit amount to those who participate in an approved program. In addition, Lincoln tailors vocational rehabilitation programs to each individual's needs for recovery with the Vocational Rehabilitation benefit. Finally, Lincoln also helps employers by providing a reimbursement for accommodations employers make on behalf of a disabled employee to facilitate their return to work through the Reasonable Accommodation component of the Rehabilitation Assistance Benefit. The reimbursement can be used to help pay for adaptive furniture, additional equipment, or renovation of a workspace.