As August arrives, it brings a flurry of activities, from the first hints of summer’s end to families gearing up for the new school year. It also marks the time for the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) Annual Conference, which promises to welcome attendees with a wealth of guest speakers eager to share their insights. This year, one speaker struck a deeply emotional and personal chord, profoundly changing my perspective on navigating the claim journey.
I had been eagerly anticipating MetLife’s presentation on the Guided Claim Experience. However, I wasn’t prepared for the impact of their speaker. That morning, Steph Dreyer from the National Commission on Lymphatic Diseases took the stage. She shared her journey with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare medical condition. Her story was both heartbreaking and uplifting, showcasing a life of inner strength, quiet resilience, and a positive outlook that refused to let her condition defeat her. From the moment she began speaking, I was captivated by her storytelling.
I was moved to tears when she revealed that her condition was incurable, yet she remained determined to stay strong for herself, her children, and her family. I felt a surge of admiration when she spoke about maintaining a positive attitude despite the many challenges she faced. Her struggles with the claim process resonated deeply with me, as they had a significant impact on her health. And while listening to her talk, I became aware of how her experience rivaled a little bit of my own.
When my father was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, I became his primary caretaker and health advocate. Much like Steph Dreyer’s situation, my father’s prognosis was grim, with no cure available.
Although I was well-versed in leave and disability protocols, I found the overall claim process incredibly frustrating. I spent countless hours dealing with physicians, hospitals, insurance companies, and his employer chasing down and sharing medical information to make sure his benefits and pay were taken care of. This administrative nightmare consumed so much of my time and energy that I couldn’t imagine what it would be like if my dad had to do all of this on his own without any of the knowledge I brought to the table.
As I listened to Steph’s story and thought about my father’s claim journey, I began to think about ways we can improve the employee’s claim experience.
- Start with Compassion – While it’s essential to follow the claim process, we often overlook that each employee’s experience is unique. For many, understanding leaves, disability policies, and varying degrees of eligibility can be difficult. Despite employers regularly sharing benefit information, most employees only pay attention when the need for a leave arises. However, at that moment, their health and personal challenges are at the forefront of their concerns. Therefore, compassion should be the cornerstone of the claim experience with each person along the claim journey being prepared to foster empathy, promote well-being, and create a more understanding environment.
- Follow Through with Care - Regular check-ins and fulfilling your commitments can significantly enhance employees’ sense of being cared for. Employers should periodically reach out to monitor the health and well-being of employees on leave. These additional check-ins ensure that employees feel valued and wanted. It helps maintain their connection to the workplace and reinforces the message that they are welcome to return whenever their condition improves.
- Open the Channels of Communication - There’s nothing more daunting for an employee than uncertainty about what comes next. Keeping communication channels open allows employees to feel comfortable asking questions, enhance their experience, stay informed about changes, and proactively share any concerns before they escalate.
- Leverage Technology – Lastly, technology can significantly enhance the employee experience. By using technology to guide the intake process and conversation flow, we can create a more supportive environment. Dynamic questions, the ability to anticipate employee needs, and providing checklists and instructions at the end of a claim intake and throughout the claim process can offer crucial support when employees feel overwhelmed by their experience.
The DMEC Annual Conference has once again proven to be a profound learning experience. Steph Dreyer’s heartfelt story not only highlighted the importance of compassion and care in the claim process. Her strength and resilience in the face of adversity reminded me of the critical role empathy plays in supporting employees through challenging times.
As you consider opportunities to enhance your absence and disability programs, consider improving the claim experience by starting with compassion, following through with care, maintaining open communication, and leveraging technology to fill in the gaps. By doing so, you can ensure that every employee feels valued, supported, and connected, even during their most difficult moments.
