The Texas Income Protection Plan (TIPP) offers short-term and long-term disability coverage to active employees. Both plans pay a percentage of salary should a covered employee become disabled and cannot work due to a qualifying condition, injury or sickness.
As soon as you know that you’ll be out of work due to a disability, you should file for your disability claim either online through TIPP Self-Service or by calling TIPP Customer Care toll-free at (855) 604-6230 (TTY: 711), Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT. They can file up to 30 days in advance. This will speed up the process and, if approved, get the money as soon as possible.
Waiting to file the claim will delay the first disability payment.
Things to remember before participants can use their benefits
- They must complete a waiting period and, at the same time, use all their sick leave (including extended sick leave, donated sick leave and/or sick leave pool).
- Benefits are not payable until all of their sick leave is used. Example: Joe has a 30-day waiting period for short-term disability and has 45 days of sick leave. Joe will not be eligible to receive his benefits until he exhausts all 45 days of sick leave.
- There is an additional waiting period for pre-existing conditions. See the TIPP website for more information.
- Covered employees can learn more on the TIPP website.
Plan ahead to allow for time lapse
A TIPP Customer Care representative will contact the participant’s health care provider to verify medical information. This is an important part of the claim approval process. This may take a few hours, a few days or longer. It’s another good reason to file the disability claim as soon as participants know when they will be out.
Source: ERS Update Express (Nov. 5, 2018)
