The Difficulties of Disability Insurance

When eleven-year-old Jaylynn Graham and her family left for vacation in Jamaica, they never realized how much the trip would actually cost them. Jaylynn's mother worked, and her father was receiving disability insurance (what kind of disability he had was unstated). While the family was on vacation, Jaylynn needed to go to the hospital. Doctors found fluid on her brain and decided that they needed to operate immediately. Jaylynn has been in Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay for a week since falling ill. The hospital bills totaled $100,000 as of November 15th and they are growing as her stay lengthens (Hilts). 

If the Grahams had purchased travel insurance before they went to Jamaica, they would have been covered for Jaylynn's surgery. They bills they face would have simply been deferred to their insurance company and not weighing on their shoulders. Why they chose not to purchase travel insurance is unclear. Many people are responding in like-mindedness to a neo-conservative/neo-liberal political view. Many people are responding to the Grahm's situation by asking why, if they couldn't afford to buy insurance, did they even go on vacation. Others are asking how they afforded a vacation on one income and disability insurance. 

According to Steven Hick, attaining disability benefits is very difficult. It is time consuming and very confusing because there is no one set benefit to supplement the income of people who have disabilities. Income Security Programs in Canada Include:

• Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit (CPPD): Provides long-term disability benefits to people with "severe and prolonged disabilities" and who are under the age of 65. Applicants must also meet Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) requirements which is based on contributions by workers and employers. So, applicants must have had a job within the last four to six months of applying to receive benefits. 
• Employment Insurance Sick Benefits: Cover employees temporarily if they fall ill. Supplements income until long-term coverage is needed.
• Disability Tax Benefit: Available to all Canadians with Severe and prolonged disabilities. Applicants must have a doctor complete a form outlining their disability, have income great enough to tax which isn't always possible for people with disabilities.
• Veterans Disability Benefits (Pension Act): Provides benefits to Veterans and their dependents on the occasion that they become permanently disabled or die as a result of Military service. 
• Provincial Programs including the Ontario Disability Support Program(ODSP): For Ontario residents who have "A substantial physical or mental impairment that is continuous or recurrent, is expected to last more than one year or more, and results in a substantial restriction in his/her ability to: attend to personal care; function in the community or function in the work place" (Hick)

Notably, many of these programs are very exclusive to certain people with certain kinds of disabilities. The ODSP seems to be the program with the widest coverage. To relate to Jaylynn's story, it would seem that her father would be receiving very little benefits and because we do not know how much her mother makes at her job, it is very difficult to judge the family's actual financial situation. When reading about the Grahams, I found myself wondering why people who were probably not well off financially could take a a vacation. My thought process was very neo-liberal/neo-conservative. I found it hard to think that someone who was on disability, and therefore not working, was on vacation and not taking the precaution of vacation insurance. I then reflected on why I thought that way and realized how closed minded I was being. I didn't know the specifics of this person's life and I was judging whether he should actually be receiving benefits. Just because he isn't able to work, does not mean that he and his family don't deserve a break or to enjoy time away. The Graham's case clearly outlines examples of how difficult it can be to live the life you were used to once you have to go on a disability benefit program. 

My experience with the Graham's story shows that in order to benefit those with disabilities more, we have to educate the public about how important it is to consider personal and private circumstances when judging "worthiness" 
of benefits. The government needs to establish an inclusive benefit program that is widely available to people and provides more security to those in need. 


-Morgan

References

Hick, Steven . "Chapter 13: Disability and Social Welfare ." Social Welfare In Canada Understanding Income Security. Second Edition ed. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing Inc., 2007. 319-326. Print.

Hilts, Rod. "Social media spreads word about sick Sarnia girl | Column | Opinion | Sarnia Observer."Sarnia Observer. N.p., 15 Nov. 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://www.theobserver.ca/2012/11/15/social-media-spreads-word-quickly-about-sick-sarnia-girl>.