Everything you need to know about Disability Insurance with Dr. Stephanie Pearson

Stephanie Pearson, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified OB/GYN, educator, and advocate for physician well-being. After a career-ending injury, she co-founded PearsonRavitz, a national insurance brokerage dedicated to protecting physicians. Drawing from her own experience, Stephanie educates and empowers physicians on the importance of disability and life insurance.  A sought-after speaker, she addresses physician advocacy, healthcare disparities, and self-care, inspiring resilience and financial security. In this episode, Dr. Pearson:- Shares that musculoskeletal disease resulting from poor ergonomics are the #1 reason surgeons leave practice, however these injuries aren't necessarily considered work-related- Alerts us that chronic repetitive strain injuries of the spine (neck and back), shoulder and wrist  constitute the bulk of disorders leading to disability for surgeons, proceduralists and other personnel working in the OR such as techs and nurses- Explains that disability determinations have to be made by a treating physician who has to state that an individual cannot do their job safely before a claim is submitted to an insurance carrier. Carriers can challenge the disability claim and arrange independent medical exams and imaging review- Shares the the key differences between employer-based and private disability policies  with respect to pre- vs. post-tax benefits, ownership (portability) and language surrounding the definition of own-occupation riders and total disability- Reminds us to carefully check our group disability policies as some may not even cover work-related injuries and others may place limits of 2 years of payment for these injuries- Urges that clients understand the difference between an insurance broker vs. an insurance agent and that a personal policy should be bought as soon as possible during training (to get maximal coverage for lower cost)- Provides her top 5 tips to consider when shopping for disability insurance.You can reach Dr. Pearson via the following means:Website: www.stephaniepearson.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniepearsonmd/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drstephaniepearson/Follow Surgical Ergonomics on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube please reach out to us if you have any suggestions regarding episode ideas and guests or if you'd like to be a guest on the podcastIf you found this episode valuable, please share it with a colleague or your perioperative team to help bring greater awareness to the role of ergonomics in career longevity. If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd be grateful if you left a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help others discover the show and support our mission of improving the health and longevity of surgeons and proceduralists worldwide.