ins. dropped, facebook pics, Canada
 

http://www.click2houston.com/video/21696790/index.html

http://wbztv.com/health/Nathalie.Bla...2.1327309.html

Nov 22, 2009 10:00 am US/Eastern

Insurer Halts Woman's Benefits Over Facebook Photo

Canadian Company Manulife Denies Using Web Sites As Sole Basis For Deciding ClaimsBROMONT, Quebec (CBS) ―

A Canadian woman says she was told her insurer that her claim was dropped because of photos investigators found on her Facebook account. (File)

A Canadian woman on long-term sick leave for depression says she lost her benefits because her insurance agent found photos of her on Facebook in which she appeared to be having fun.

Nathalie Blanchard has been on leave from her job at IBM in Bromont, Quebec, for the last year.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Saturday she was diagnosed with major depression and was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits from insurance giant Manulife.

But the payments dried up this fall and when Blanchard called Manulife, she says she was told she was available to work because of Facebook.

She said her insurance agent described several pictures Blanchard posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a sun holiday.

Blanchard said Manulife told her it's evidence she is no longer depressed. She's fighting to get her benefits reinstated and says her lawyer is exploring what the next step should be.

Blanchard told the CBC that on her doctor's advice, she tried to have fun, including nights out at her local bar with friends and short getaways to sun destinations, as a way to forget her problems.

Manulife wouldn't comment on Blanchard's case, but did say they would not deny or terminate a claim solely based on information published on Web sites such as Facebook. The company did confirm using the social networking site when investigating clients, according to the CBC.

Wait, you can get one year off of work for being depressed? Where do I sign up!?

I wouldn't go so far as to sue her right off the bat, those pics could in fact be older and she just posted them, but I would definitely be investigating if I were the company.

Seems like a good excuse to drop my facebook account. Been too much spying by employers..

So I guess people with depression are forbidden from leaving their house, or being caught with a forced smile on their face

No, but getting paid to sit on your fat ass is a pretty good reason you can't go off on vacations. You are SICK. If I call in for sick leave and work finds out I am going to the Virgin Islands, I am sure they wouldn't find that an appropriate use of sick leave.

Fuck this bitch, I hope she loses.

I read the story and not really sure where i stand on it yet. She claims she went away on her doctor's recommendation. So maybe she was just trying to break herself out of it and followed the doctor's orders. :idk: Sticky situation.

Agreed. Sure, she might have still been feelin mopey, and trying to forget her problems, but doesn't sound like it was debilitating depression, so I agree with their assessment that she could go back to work. :shrug:

Being physically sick might make you unable to go out, but being depressed doesn't.

You're saying that because she goes to someone's party, that she is suddenly able to do her job?

Also, we aren't talking about government benefits, we're talking about a private insurance company who has DECIDED to cover depression. And given that they have DECIDED to cover that, they should honor it.

Yes, if you can go out and have a good time at a party or go on vacation, you can do your job. If you have a depression that doesn't allow you to leave your home maybe I would consider it a valid issue.

This private company also decided she is capable to return to work.

A few things...

who said she was having a good time? :?:

It's private insurance. It's not covered in healthcare. There is a difference.

I dont know what she does, but let's say she's a VP somewhere, do you really think that being able to go to a party, makes you able to be a VP somewhere?

And she is being insured against losing the ability to perform HER job......not just ANY job. Just because she might be capable of working at McDonalds doesn't mean she's capable of going back to her old job.

No, her training and education qualify her for doing her job. Her partying and vacationing prove she is fit enough to continue life, she is fit enough to return to work. Sorry I don't find that serious depression. If you are depressed enough to require clinical treatment to the fact that you belong in a nuthouse, sure I can see insurance coming into play, but if you can go out and party and go to the beach, you can go to fucking work.

I am not telling her to go to mcdonalds, I am telling her she needs to go back to the job she was trained and qualified for to resume her work. If she is uncapable of that, she needs to find another line of work.

I bet she's depressed now. :lol:

Sooner or later people will realize it's pretty ignorant to post all kinds of crazy pics of yourself on these sites. :idk:

cuz a photo at a bar or party proves that someone was having a good time......lulz

that's kind of like saying a photo of you hugging some chick proves you're cheating

Well if you're receiving benefits for not working because you're too depressed it is pretty ignorant to post pics of yourself at a Chippendales show. :idk:

You can't seem to comprehend that the insurance co. was insuring her for her specific job. Not just any job. Assuming she was a VP, it takes a lot of skill and mental focus to do that kind of job. Are you saying that just because she was capable of going to a party that she is capable of working as a VP as effectively as she did before?

Let's say you are an assembly line worker, you lose your legs in an accident........Theoretically you could still do your job in a wheelchair, but your productivity would be only a fraction of what it used to be. Are you saying that person doesn't deserve coverage, because you think he "could" go back to work?

true, but ignorance isn't the question here......

It's the same thing we've been telling folks for a long time. If you don't want someone to know about it, don't post it on the internet.

Now, if you have your filters set properly, and only your friends can view your profile, pics, wall, etc., and someone from the insurance company posed as a "friend" to gain access to your information, then that's another matter entirely. In that case, my lawyer would definitely be involved.

So, IMO, if she can work, have fun at parties, take a vacation, she can work.

I am not saying she will perform at 100%. Do you have days that you feel like shit and don't perform 100% at your job. All I am saying she is fit enough to go party and go on vacation, she is fit enough to work. I am not saying she will do the best job ever or that she will work so hard she will get a raise/promotion, but that she is fit enough to work. I don't believe depression is an applicable use of sick leave when you can go on vacation with no trouble. Again if you are depressed enough to the point you need hospitalization, that's a different story.

Depends, did you lose your legs in a work accident or did you lose your legs in your own time? If it's a work accident, there are all sorts of avenues that you can go from workers comp and such. If you can continue work after the accident, you can come back otherwise the company would be violating disabilities act, no matter your "productivity level." If it is a offsite work accident, there is specific insurance for disability/dismemberment. This type of thing is much much more regulated than "depression."

Look at this more like if you hurt your back, if they find pics of you mowing the yard and putting down mulch and such, guess what, you are abusing the system. If you are depressed, maybe you shouldn't be taking vacations and partying.

If she hadn't of been "ignorant"...not considering that the insurance company has investigators that look into these type of things we wouldn't be posting on this topic because she would still be getting her benefits. :idk:

It may not be the "question" but it sure is a fact.

Well, again, how do those photographs prove that she "had no trouble" during her vacation? What if she had some major breakdowns/tantrums during that vacation? How would you ever know?

I would have assumed you guys, being heavy internet users, would be against employers/authority figures making assumptions based on Facebook photos alone :idk:

Sure it does... if she's hugging your dick :wink:

A photo of you mowing the lawn doesn't show if you had a hurt back after you did it or were still having massive problems on certain days. Same basic concept, maybe you shouldn't do things that could land you in hot water with the insurance company.

Not me...I don't have a Facebook account and I don't even post pictures here of me doing chit that I don't want people to know about. :idk:

:rofl: :rofl:

I can agree with this statement, however because of crap like this, I keep everything private and rarely let anyone that is on any type of professional standing with me on my page. :shrug:

No worries "vette boy" the private dick I've had tailing you is providing me with plenty of pics :rockwoot:


:lmao:

Trip, you keep ignoring that the vacation and nights out were suggestions by her doctor. Following doctor's orders as it were. So if she was following doctor's orders isn't she somewhat less liable?

If her Doc told her to jump off a bridge........?

I'm just sayin...

No I am not ignoring, actually I think it is a fine point. If a doctor can recommend public interaction and stressful situations like bars and vacations, that shows she is fit enough for all sorts of public interaction, aka WORK.

Ya because those two things are comparable. Come on.

Fair enough. Just wondered why you hadn't brought it up.

:rofl: :rofl: Well now you may have something then but at least it's not something I posted up on a public forum myself.

I never said I didn't do any ignorant chit. :lol:

Didn't say they were. But the point is responsibilty for one's actions. "Oh my Doctor told me to go to Chippendale's...." just doesn't hold water for me. :lol:

Didn't read the links yet...any confirmation from the Dr in question?

Ya you did. You're extrapolating that a doctor would tell her anything or give ridiculous suggestions. It doesn't add weight to your argument. You may not agree with it, or it doesn't hold water for you, fair enough. But the two aren't comparable.

Yep everyone keeps saying what the insurance company has to prove...they just cut the checks off and now she's the one that may need to do some proving.

Chippendales sure won't help her case imho. :lol:

I am betting that the Doc told her to start having public interactions to not get in a funk. I am sure the Doc didn't write her a note to go to chippendales and go to the beach.

From the article, it sounds like she may have realized this because the lawyer and her are trying to figure out their next move. If you had a doctors note to go to the strip club, maybe you should submit that as evidence as your next move.

I'd like to hear more from the doc too but he's keeping mum I'm sure.

One day of vacation equals 40 to 60 hours of work every week? There's some gray area that you seem to be ignoring.

Rest and relaxation is not a commitment. She doesn't have to show up for vacation for x number of hours every day. She can stop vacation or go away from it at any time she feels overwhelmed.

A paralyzed man can go to the strippers, doesn't mean he can mow his lawn.

Manulife wouldn't comment on Blanchard's case, but in a written statement sent to CBC News, the insurer said: "We would not deny or terminate a valid claim solely based on information published on websites such as Facebook." It confirmed that it uses the popular social networking site to investigate clients.

I think this is something to consider too. But there are unknowns in this story. For one, she wasn't notified that her benefits were being cut off. That's a bit of a red flag for me.

We're not getting the whole story.

Do you work? If you are in a stressful situation, do you ever just take a walk to clear your head and get away from it for a few minutes? You aren't stuck here, if you need to go home or get away, no one will stop you and a big corporation like IBM will have an employee wellness program in place to assist you if you need it.

A paralyzed man wouldn't be condemned for going to a strip club, he would if he mowed the lawn.

:lol: No, I didn't, but since I'm not in agreement with you, and you can see there's little chance of changing my mind, you're interpreting it that way. Fair enough. :dthumb:


ETA: Sorry, I didn't actually mean for that to come out as snippy as it did... :lol:

I didn't take it snippy at all. :wink: :D

now she was dropped cuz she was wearing a bikini

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...home_headlines

sorry no pics

:dvrofl:

Ok, just for kicks and giggles, I'm gonna take the other side of the debate on this one: sunlight deprivation can result in SAD... so her Dr prescribed the sun vacations (which require wearing a bikini) in order to absorb the most sunlight, and therefore reap the most benefit.

And just to make up for your lack of ability to find pics?

:boobs::boobs::boobs::boobs::boobs::boobs::boobs:

here's one that was posted, not very good

http://renovomedia.com/wp-content/up...-Blanchard.jpg

I am depressed due to that picture quality...

Remember folks we are talking about Canada here. Canadians are mostly honest, so they can pay people for any little ailment.

Americans would take advantage of it, thus here it should be eliminated.

My GF's roommate just went through some crazy depression. Mental breakdown and all. She did not leave the apartment for the entire summer and had trouble getting to class. She still doesn't enjoy going out but is doing a lot better. Infact she just started driving a month ago.

I don't know exactly where I stand because when I'm down I do like to get out. But in her case it seems like if an insurance company is going to pay for you to stay at home you better spend lots of time in mental hospitals getting better.

If you are off on insurance for depression here in canada, your doctor WILL tell you to do ANYTHING that makes you happy. We have no idea why she's depressed, mayb events at work caused it? Or maybe she just has an imbalance. Either way, this isnt abnormal or uncommon around here.

Hell, im still off work from my foot on compensation, and my doctor tells me to enjoy myself and do what I like. (I work in a refinery, and their worried about infection, im off till april)

I read the article too and like kell am not sure about where I stand. Just because someone is smiling doesn't make them happy. Depression can be dehabilitating. If a smile means you are happy then I was happy in a couple pics at my first husbands funeral, and God knows I was anything but.

Mind you, a year and a half off work for depression.... time to try something a little stronger than a vacation and night out to the strippers.