I have set up the clinic to be able to conduct appointments via webcam using Skype.

I have found that this is an excellent way for people to consult with me from all over Canada.

If you are interested in talking wiith me via Skype please email me to set up a time and then send a friend request using Skype to the Disability Claims Advocacy Clinic.

Please note I will not respond to friend requests to people who have not identified themselves to me!

I often receive phone calls from individuals who are applying for CPP disability at the request of their private insurance companies. The insurance companies usually require that their clients make application to CPP disability, as CPP is first payer on most disability insurance policies (also many WCB programs, Provincial disability programs, Auto insurance programs etc.) When these individuals are denied CPP, the insurance companies require that they appeal and often I get called because there is a level of fear that if the client is denied again, the insurance company will also deny them as well. Most insurance companies do not provide the resources their clients need to handle these appeals, and if I may be frank, many of the disability insurance adjudicators do not understand themselves the procedure a client has to go through when appealing the denial of CPP disability benefits.

So it is a no brainer that I get panicked calls from private insurance clients who are now facing CPP appeals and the added stress and worry that because CPP has denied them, that their insurance company may shortly do the same.

I am not trying to malign insurance companies here, as getting their clients CPP disability saves them a large amount of money over the life span of a claim, so they are entirely motivated to get their clients on CPP disability. I recently made a presentation to the disability adjudicators at a large insurance company and at the end of the presentation it was clear to me that the adjudicators now had a better appreciation and understanding of the complexity of the CPP disability program. Although the adjudicators had received "outreach services" from the Feds - I believe sorry to say - their presentations may not accurately portray what is really going on in the trenches!

As I have said previously, CPP disability benefit is viewed as the "first payer" by most private insurance plans. This means that most insurance plans take CPP disability benefits into account when calculating a claimant's entitlement to disability benefits. Most private long-term disability plans require a claimant to apply for CPP disability and to appeal a denial. Many agreements also indicate that noncompliance with these terms can result in withholding or reduction of long term disability benefits by the estimated amount of the CPP disability benefit. This is standard practice and part of standard form agreements of most private insurance policies.

If you have been denied a CPP disability benefit and you have been asked to appeal by the insurance company, then make sure you follow their recommendations. I believe most insurance companies are aware that CPP disability has a fairly measurable denial rate and so they may expect that you will denied on application. Do not be fearful of the denial from CPP disability. Next make sure you send in for your reconsideration within the 90 day appeal period and ask your adjudicator if the insurance company has some resources available that can help with your appeal. Also ask the insurance company if they can provide you with the medical information that is on your file - that way you do not have to pay for photocopying charges from your doctor's office. Most insurance companies have collected medical evidence on you in order to support your LTD claim - so as collecting CPP disability is in their best interests - I really think they should help you out by providing you with this information. If there is an issue with this I would ask for a supervisor and explain your motivation for wanting to collect this information.

Also, if there are insurance company staff who read this blog - I would like to ask them to consider having someone who works in the trenches, explain to them and their disability adjudicators the reality of managing a CPP disability appeal so they can help their clients secure the benefits that will offset their bottom lines.

Often I am asked by someone who has to appeal the denial of a CPP disability benefit who is receiving LTD private insurance what is the point to receiving CPP disability?

Although the income received from a CPP disability benefit is taxable and reduces your non-taxable long-term disability benefit, there are advantages to receiving a CPP disability pension:

· it places a freeze on your financial earnings as of the date of disability. This prevents CPP from establishing a record of zero of nil earnings to average into your future retirement or disability income calculation for the period you are disabled from working and not contributing to the CPP fund. Without this earning freeze your future entitlement to CPP benefits, including retirement benefits could be adversely affected.

· there is a federal tax credit available when a individual completes and submits the Disability Tax Credit Certificate (Form T2201) with their income tax.

· if you are in receipt of CPP disability benefits at the time of your death, CPP survivor benefits will be paid at the full level as though you have been working until the date of your death.

· CPP benefits provide a cost of living allowance every year. Any COLA increases will not be deducted from long-term disability benefits.

· if you have children they may be eligible for a children's benefit as long as you are receiving a CPP disability benefit. CPP pays benefits for children if they are:

a. under 18 years of age. These benefits are paid to the individual who has the care and custody of the children; or,

b. between the ages of 18 and 25 years old and attending school on a full-time basis. This benefit is paid directly to the child

Hello Everyone,

Yes I am still working here at the Clinic. It has been some time since I have been able to blog. Many things have happened and I have case managed a lot of files in the last six months that have been interesting to say the least!

My reason for blogging today?

Well in the mail today I received two files that were sent to me for review - and unfortunately both of these cases were rightly denied based on what are late MQPs.

A MQP or Minimum Qualifying Period date - is what I like to call THE MAGIC DATE. It is critically important to the adjudication of a CPP disability claim.

You know you have to be found "severe and prolonged" - but you also have to be found severe and prolonged at the time of the MQP.

If you have a late MQP your denial letter may say something like this -

"Unfortunately, you do not have enough earnings and contributions. However, Canada Pension Plan has a late application provision that allows us to consider if you had a disabilty that was both severe and prolonged and has been continuous since you made enough contributions to the CPP to qualify. In your case, you had made enough contributions to qualify until December of a given year"

Okay like I said this is a magic date and the decision makers have to find the applicant disabled as of that time and continuously to present - the lady whose file I reviewed this morning had an MQP of December 1997. This means she has to be found disabled from December 1997 until present. This is tough because it would require 14 years of continuous medical evidence to support this claim - sometimes this is easy to do - there may have been an accident or medical condition that has been clearly related to that time period - but most times I will say with a late MQP like that, is a challenge to establish disability.

Sometimes, there is a late MQP, and then a person tries to work after that MQP, and the feds deny because they say there is evidence of work capacity after the MQP.

This happened recently with a lady called Cindy. Cindy is very young 29 years - but she had been chronically sick with chrons since she was 19 years old - and I mean sick - surgeries, infections, abdominal pain, fatigue, malnutrition -the medical evidence was pretty conclusive - but the problem in Cindy's file was that she continued to try and work, and try to go to school, and try to do all those things that a young woman wants to do.

Cindy had earnings after her MQP - the Feds denied her because of this - they realized she was disabled now - but she was not disabled at the time of her MQP. Well her earnings were substantially gainful but she only lasted a short period of time - six months - before her chrons kicked up and she was hospitalized again - not to mention that throughout her work she repeatedly had to decline work shifts and often had to leave work because she was so sick - I really admired Cindy cause she continually tried to work and she felt so guilty because her parents were continually having to support her financially. I do not know what the results of the appeal will be but I will let you all know.

So you can see here how important the MQP is - it really is a magic date - it is like when your coverage expires like an insurance policy.

The calculation of the MQP is very complicated and there are so many different ways the Feds calculate the MQP - all different requirements and legislative tenants go into the calculation of the MQP. But I just wanted to get it out there that the MQP is critical in the adjudication of a claim.

In the files that I reviewed this morning - the applicant went through the hearings without any understanding of the MQP - bad move.

If you have a hearing or your are appealing the denial of a CPP disability benefit - then make sure you know the MQP. If you have any questions about this send me an email. One thing I will tell you - if you have an MQP say December 2006 and you have only submitted medical evidence from 2009 forward then you have not met your responsibility to establish your disability at the time of your MQP. So that means you will need to submit medical information from December 2006 in order to establish that you were disabled at this time.

Hopefully this has all made sense to you!

For those of you who want further reading on this subject - the Office of the Commissioner of Review Tribunals has a good explanation of the MQP calculation rules and the link for that is

www.ocrt-bctr.gc.ca/hwt-cmm/cpp-rpc/req-cond-eng.html#more_MQP

I get a lot of calls at the office asking me how long it will take before CPP decides on either the application or the request for reconsideration.

I have been able to make some calls and I have found out the approximate processing times.

British Columbia Region - Initial Appliation - 25 weeks processing time - Reconsideration - 20 weeks processing time.

Manitoba and Saskatchewan - Initial Application - 20 weeks processing time - Reconsideration - 14 weeks processing time.

Alberta - Initial Application - 26 weeks processing time - Reconsideration - 16-18 weeks processing time.

Ontatio - Intial Appication - 120 days processing time - Reconsideration - 120 days processing time.

I am sorry I do not know the Atlantic Regions.

Also these time spans are averages - they fluctuate according to work loads and whether or not CPP is developing your file by collecting additional information.  Note if CPP is developing your file that is a good thing - as it is an applicant's responsibility to establish disabiity - so if the feds are looking into it is not just a straight out denial.

Finally back in the office for three straight weeks - looking forward to catching up and returning calls. Wishing it was spring already.

Happy New Year.

I have a lot of information that I am looking forward to sharing with you over this new year. 2011 marks my 13th year working in this field and this brings me to the reason for this blog.

Many people who contact me have no idea that there are individuals out there who can help you navigate the Canada Pension Plan appeal maze. It can be overwhelming. The reason why I have this blog and this website, is to provide this information and hopefully help out in some way, even if it is just to let people know that they should not give up, or that there are other people who are going through a similar situation, and finally to share what I know about the appeals system. 

With the launch of the website, I have for the most part been very well received. I hear from a lot of individuals who have found the information helpful.

I have also had some people question my integrity and services and feel that I am in some way not who I represent myself to be.

There have been some concerns that I run DCAC similar to the recently maligned National Benefits Authority, who take a fee for completing CRA disability tax credit applications. 

Please note, that I do not fill out forms for CPP. I never have - I may be able to give you some helpful advice on what information to include or answer your questions - and I do firmly believe that a well-completed application form is a good first step to success - it is not something that I involve myself in. I have outlined clearly on this website what I do and how I help.

There is legitimate concern about sharing Social Insurance Numbers and I totally get that - there is a real need in today's marketplace to be completely comfortable with the sharing of this type of information. 

I will continue to post current information on this website that I hope will help you if you are going to appeal a denial. That information is free for the taking!

If anyone has any concerns about the services provided by the Disability Claims Advocacy Clinic -please contact me directly - I will be happy to talk with you.

I have some really good information about CPP processing times for various different regions which I will post in the next few days.

Well what a whirlwind of a month.

CPP must be on a rampage of denials because the phone and emails have been busy. Thank you to all who email me and are pleased with the information the website contains. I am glad that it is of help to you.

So what is new in CPP land?

Well interestingly, I can do an analytic report on who visits my website by location in the country and I was wondering if any of you would hesitate to guess where most of my visits are from?

Okay I find it odd because I do not get a lot of calls from that region - but yes indeed - the most visitors to this site come from Ottawa.  What do you make of that??

Anyway if you are reading this blog my friends in Ottawa - hello!

I still have much to write about but little time right now. In November the work load will decrease a little so I will blog some more then. Take Care. Allison

This week I attended Pension Appeals Board hearings. This level of appeal is held after you have been denied a Canada Pension Plan benefit at Review Tribunal. The appeal rights are not automatic - that means you have to request the Pension Appeals Board permission or "leave" to hear the case. This one particular client of mine - let's call her Martha - well she had applied for CPP disability in March 2007 and was finally, in September 2010, having her appeal heard. Martha was very apprehensive about this appeal - she is a First Nations woman who has  a very limited education because until she lived in the city, lived in her First Nation quite traditionally.

Martha had a lot of health problems; Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis, Hyperlipidemia, Shortness of Breath, Obesity, and most prevalently Diabetes.  If anyone is familiar with the news in Canada, you will be aware of the high rates of obesity in our country, but also with the high rates of diabetes in the First Nations and Aboriginal communities.

I feel that Martha really lacked an understanding of her health - she never really had a doctor who explained to her the nature of her conditions - no judgment on doctors they are swamped - and also most sadly - she was on welfare and unable to afford to eat well.  I have read that poverty is strongly associated with diabetes.

Martha had a Grade 5 education. She had gotten by on labour jobs and really had a good work history - this was not a woman who rode the gravy train.

It took all of my efforts to prepare Martha for the hearing she was about to undertake - you got to imagine how intimidating this must have been for Martha to speak before "high peoples" as she called them. It only reminded me how necessary my work can be because without help I do not think this woman would have been able to do the paper work just to get a hearing - she was functionally illiterate.

Anyway, Martha is a sweet lady - very shy but she trusted me so we had a good rapport and like I said I was able to get her through the first part of her hearing.

What happened you wonder? Well half way through the hearing the Feds settled - yep that's right - they caved. Now I can tell you in my almost thirteen years of working in the field - this is only the second time this has happened during a hearing.

Why am I telling you this story? Well, firstly  - how do people who do not have help and who are so disadvantaged in education and socio-economic status make it with these  complicated appeals - and two - do not ever try and predict what the Feds are going to do!

Things are plodding along here for me in the office. The phone has been busy and if you have called and I have not spoken to you yet - please hang in there. 

I was away working yesturday and I would like to share this case with you. I am deliberately being vague with where I was because I would like to share information with you on the down low! 

This case was a reassessment case - the Minister's representative came from the reassessment department who advised me that this department is really grown in staff and workload which indicates to me that the Feds are reviewing a lot more  CPP disability claimants.  Now do not get me wrong - I am all for kicking off people who are working under the table and claiming disability - if you follow  this blog - you know that I get angry when I hear that people play the system as there are so many legitimate people who are denied and really struggle financially and with the appeals process - sometimes at very great costs to their personal lives. So if you think you are pulling a fast one on the Feds - you best start watching your back - some people have contacted me with overpayments in the 50K range.

By the same token, I can also understand with the current CPP benefit rates, why some people feel they have no choice but to supplement their CPP benefit - that is why the Feds have the allowable earnings provision - also just FYI - in this case that I am going to talk about - the allowable earnings provision was not applied to the overpayment because the client did not advise CPP disability that he was working.  Apparently, (I am not 100% sure on this one but I will find out for you) - if you do not advise the Feds you are doing some work then the allowable earnings amount will not be applied to reduce any overpayment.

I also recently had a email from a man let's call him Sean  who asked some questions about Vocational Rehabilitation services offered by CPP and suggested that I blog about this topic.

Okay my client let's call him Ken. Ken was a rural man and supplemented his self-employment by working in construction.  In 2005, he was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis. After diagnosis he applied for CPP disability and was approved at reconsideration.  After diagnosis, Ken who had always been the "go-to-guy" in his community, fell into a depression.  His doctor thought that if Ken tried to get out in the community and find something he could do, his mood would improve. So Ken decided he was going to contact CPP disabiity and ask them about vocational services. Ken advised that the CPP staff who called him on this program were extremely rude to him and he felt immediately anxious as to the continuing status of his benefit.  After some time and no support from CPP, Ken made  use of the rehabilitation services of his provincial disability organization. They tried to get him typing and had him do some job shadowing - but based on his limitations - they felt that he should be referred on to an agency that found supportive employment and subsidized positions for people with disabilities.  Now this agency was able to find a couple of different positions for Ken and ultimately he was successful in securing a position. 

Now Ken was very happy - he felt he had a purpose - and he felt he was being useful - his self-esteem improved and he was really trying to keep on going.  However, four months into this position (which was entirely sedentary) his health began to decline rapidly - but Ken wanted to keep going so he relied on medication to keep him alert, medication to reduce his pain, and this dependancy became a viscious circle - he could not sleep, he could not concentrate - he could not keep up with the productivity and accuracy level demands of his position, and what started as a good thing for Ken - wound up costing his health dearly.  But all Ken wanted to do was keep on working.  His lack of clarity into the decline in his health and the dependence on medication and the personal costs to his family became secondary to trying to keep on working.  Finally, some 12 months after starting his work experience Ken had no choice but to quit due to medical reasons.

Okay, side story to this case, Ken tried to get in touch with CPP to advise them about his work trial - for some reason the Feds did not get with the program - and Ken kept receiving disability benefits.  After his frustration with dealing with the Feds, Ken contacted his provincial MS Society who told him that CPP and Revenue Canada are connected, so CPP would indeed know about his work activity.  So Ken thinks that CPP must know and he kept receiving his disability benefit.  Okay the MS Society got it partially wrong - yes the Feds can find out through Revenue Canada if a disabiity recipient reports income, this information is not received until you file your taxes - so the Feds do not instantly know that someone is working - which is why Ken had an overpayment - and also why the allowable earnings provision was not applied to the overpayment. He had a bad experience all around - there was lack of information, and to be frank he received some bad advice.

So I attended his Review Tribunal yesturday.  I think the hearing went well - once you heard Ken's story you could understand how this all went down - and I get so annoyed that all the information is available to the adjudicators in the reassessment department if only they would ask - if only they would conduct a review of the file that does not just rely on the reporting of  T4 income - if only they just read the information in this file -  all of this stress and hardship could be avoided - instead it appeared to me that all this "reassessment" was, was another attempt to get another person off the "payroll" The facts were all available to me, I just took the time to find them out. Sometimes I think I am being really harsh on the Feds, but I am not telling you anything that is not the truth, and I think there are good people in the program - but why are there so many good Canadian people getting the run around and all this hassle?

The gentleman who recently emailed me and asked me if CPP provided meaningful rehabilitation services - take what you get from this blog and think hard. To be fair, I only hear the problems and not the good things about any programs and services that work well. If any one has had a good experience I would really love to hear from you.

Bye for now. Allison

Well here we are approximately two months since my last blog. The dog days of summer are upon us. 

I have had a very busy summer and have talked to many interesting people across the country about Canada Pension Plan disability and the problems they are facing - thank you very much for your good feedback about the website.

I chose to write this blog because on a daily basis I receive phone calls from individuals who have been denied CPP disability benefits because they have been in receipt of CPP early retirement benefits that they have taken after age 60.

Now, CPP disability will provide you a benefit until age 65 - after that your benefits would change over to retirement benefits. This is typical with most disability insurance policies as retirement age is usually 65. (I know there has been debate about this age - but for insurance purposes 65 is the magic retirement number.)

If you chose to take your CPP early retirement benefits before age 65 there is a pretty negative implication pertaining to your CPP Disability benefit.

Okay here is it - the legislation states that you are only able to receive one type of CPP benefit at a time - these are death, retirement, and disability.  The legislation also states that CPP can only pay 15 months of retroactivity from the date of your CPP application.  If you have been in receipt of your early retirement benefits longer than 15 months from the date you applied for disability benefits - then you be inelligible to change your benefit from early retirement to disability.

Some examples - Dave applied for early retirement benefits at age 60, and at age 63 he had a stroke disabling him from working. He would be inelligible to for CPP disability as he had been on early retirement for longer than 15 months. 

Susan was disabled from working at age 61.  She applies for CPP Disability benefits at the same time she applies for CPP early retirement benefits. If she is found disabled according to the legislative criteria - any disability benefits she received would be reduced by any early retirement benefits she had taken.

Lisa is disabled and applies for CPP disability - the feds send her a letter denying her claim - saying she is not disabled but lookey here - you can apply for your early retirement benefits instead - and here is a form for you to sign saying that you want to withdraw your disability claim and take your early retirement benefits. Okay, early retirement benefits are less than you would receive for a disability benefit - so get some advice before you sign that form.

Gus applies for CPP early retirement at age 60 and states that he stopped working due to disability.  He assumes the Feds will put him on the "correct" pension based on their review of the application. Two years pass and Gus realizes he is not getting a disability pension. He contacts CPP and is advised that he never applied for CPP disability even though he states he stopped work due to disability - you have to fill out a CPP disability application in order to apply for the benefit.

Bill applies for CPP early retirement and when he becomes disabled is told he cannot qualify for CPP disability based on the fact he has been on early retirement longer than 15 months - he is upset because CPP never advised him of the consequences of applying for early retirement benefit - sorry Bill - transparency is not the Feds greatest attribute.

So here are my final thoughts - statistically the incidence of disability increases as you age. If you want disability coverage under the your Canada Pension Plan then you do not apply for CPP early retirement benefits.  If you are disabled by age 60, then you can if you choose to,  apply for both the early retirement and the disability at the same time - and have someone review your file if you get the letter asking you to withdraw your CPP disability application and take early retirement benefits.

This week I visited Ottawa. I called in to see the staff at the Review Tribunal office. I have been working with this office for some 12 years now, so it was nice to put faces to names.

While visiting in Ottawa I had the pleasure of experiencing my first earthquake!

After leaving Ottawa, I worked in Alberta. I have a very interesting case let's call him Wayne.

Now Wayne and I have known each other for many years. He is a client who has significant Osteoarthritis in numerous joints and he is in his late fifties. The reason why Wayne has been a client for so long, is that every year he tries to continue to work. He has a wife who is mentally ill and he is her primary caregiver.  This man tries each year to work to make money to support his family.

The thing is, he needs joint replacements which he refuses to have because he has no way to financially support his wife and to keep their home. So he gets up each day and picks garbage and bottles in order to survive. He also tries each year to be self-employed, gets a contract and then cannot complete the work because of his functional limitations. He cannot sleep due to chronic pain, and he is medicated all the time.

And to top it all off Wayne will not go before a hearing to "beg" for money - he says he is to proud to do this. Despite my advice that he has paid in to Canada Pension Plan for over 30 years and that this is not charity - but an entitlement - if you qualify.

The reason why I bring this case up, is because I have a client who has excellent medical evidence, who is working against medical advice, who relies on pain medication, who cannot have a joint replacement because he cannot afford to stop working, and the Feds say he is not disabled because he is working - and how can I argue this because technically he is.

However, there is provision in the legislation about what is a Substantially Gainful Occupation as well as an Allowable Earnings Provision. I could have argued whether he is working for a Philanthropic Employer - namely himself - and each case is a unique case to be assessed on its merits.

I went to Alberta quite prepared to run this by the Review Tribunal but - Wayne - who showed up to meet with me the morning of the hearing - could not handle appearing before the tribunal to "beg" for a benefit - he just would not do it.  So he left.  I really tried to help him understand the process but he just could not cope with attending the hearing.

I appeared before the Tribunal on Wayne's behalf and interestingly his Miminum Qualifying Period had changed allowing the Panel to consider his situation to date. Had I known this prior to the hearing I would have prepared myself differently. Rightly so, we did not proceed without Wayne and now I am going to submit all of the information back to the Feds and make a submission on Wayne's behalf to see what they will do - my guess - hold the line and say he is working.

Why am I blogging about this? It upsets and frustrates me that a man who has significant disabilities, supportive doctors, who has given it his all now since 2007, and who is in chronic pain, has to continue to struggle and pick garbage and bottles and not take surgery because he simply cannot afford to sustain himself and his mentally ill wife without losing his home.  He has applied for provincial benefits and they have also turned him down because they too say he is working therefore he is not disabled. What is wrong with this picture?

Well until next week, hang in there. If you need some help call or email me at info@dcac.ca