By Dr. Jonathan Torres, Medical Director, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits
Like many other people, I was going through life busy raising children, working and making time for hobbies and travel when possible. I had completed medical school, residency training and served as a physician in the U.S. Air Force. During those more than 27 years as a practicing occupational medicine physician, I had the privilege to treat thousands of patients, many of whom were experiencing significant health issues. When I was in the exam room face-to-face with my patients, I thought I knew most of them reasonably well and had a good sense of what they might be going through.
That all changed shortly after turning 50, when I was diagnosed with a potentially serious medical condition. I had a stark realization: I didn’t know as much as I thought I did about what my patients were going through. As a physician and now a patient, I became immediately focused on finding the best doctors and exploring the myriad treatment options, each with their own risks and complications. I lost sleep reviewing research data on my condition and, honestly, became overwhelmed with all of it.
This new illness consumed my time, energy, and focus – not to mention all that goes with the many medical visits and coordinating treatments amid family and work commitments. I muddled through a trying six months of “not fun” consultations and diagnostic testing. I found myself overwhelmed trying to find the right doctors and decide on a course of treatment, despite differing medical opinions and recommendations. It wasn’t until later I realized how much the stress and anxiety associated with my illness had affected me.
I eventually connected with the right physicians for me and my condition and opted for surgery. While my recovery featured more downs than ups, I was relieved to eventually be on the other side of this life-threatening issue. Although I would never wish any of this on anyone, the experience has made me a better physician and person. It’s given me a new appreciation and understanding for the challenges people face when navigating the health system.
Accepting Support from Others
My life changed the moment I received the call from my doctor telling me I I had prostate cancer. Initially I felt very alone with my diagnosis, but thankfully I have a strong and loving family that helped support me. As I started sharing this news with close friends, the sense of support became immeasurable. Opening up about this condition made me stronger – as if I were carrying a lighter load. Words cannot express the gratitude and appreciation I felt when people asked, “How are you doing?” Also, my dog, Mason, helped too. While he couldn’t understand what was going on with me, somehow it felt like he just knew.
Mental Health and Physical Health go Hand in Hand
Whole-person health is just that: mind and body connected and in balance. Through my diagnosis and recovery, I learned that we should not underestimate the impact physical conditions have on one’s mental health and well-being – and vice versa.
Throughout my life I have always thought of myself as someone who manages stress reasonably well. However, I learned there can be increasing levels of health-related stress, interrupted restorative sleep, and anxiety about the unknowns that can be subtle and unrecognized at first and escalate significantly if unchecked. At its peak, I also started to develop physical symptoms that were unrelated to any specific cause or underlying medical condition. It was not until I completed additional testing that I realized these were entirely due to the degree of psychological stress I was experiencing.
Disability and Supplemental Health Plans can Help Address Coverage Gaps and Decrease Financial Stress when Serious Health Events Occur
Most people, me included, often spend most of our time during open enrollment comparing health plan options as part of our employer-sponsored benefits. Now that I have seen first-hand the ways in which a significant health event can have unexpected and often unplanned financial impacts, I’m prioritizing financial safeguards to help cover associated and expected financial gaps. That includes electing additional coverage such as disability, hospital indemnity and critical illness plans.
When I was overwhelmed with my health condition and out of work after surgery, I learned the importance of having short-term disability (STD) coverage. This type of plan enabled me to experience less financial stress and instead focus on my recovery. I did not have critical illness coverage at that time (I do now) and learned that in situations like this, this additional benefit can help make up the difference between STD coverage and regular pay (about 60%) and other financial gaps, including to help cover out-of-pocket expenses such as health plan deductibles or coinsurance requirements.
Looking Back and Looking Forward
As time marches on and I look back to that chapter of my life, there is an overall realization that this health event has made me a better person and physician. I try to be mindful of that lesson every day. Here are a few thoughts I keep in mind about this experience that may be beneficial to consider:
- How I felt when asked “How are you doing?” And how asking other this question may help them, too.
- The importance of recognizing our own stress levels and ability to cope, while leaning on others for support when needed.
- Significant health events have multidimensional effects on us and, whenever possible, it helps to view health and illness holistically.
- Especially now that I have seen first-hand the ways in which a significant health event has unexpected and often unplanned monetary impacts, it gives me reassurance to have financial safeguards in place, including disability and critical illness coverage.
- Relying on key individuals and professionals at specific points in my health journey not only helped me move forward, but also now serves as an ongoing source of gratitude and appreciation.
Higher Level Perspectives and Broader Impact
Given my many years in clinical practice, my experience as a patient with my own health journey, and now more recently with my work at UnitedHealthcare (where the following are prioritized), I understand the value and importance of:
- Focusing on whole-person health as a fundamental starting point for overall well-being.
- Developing approaches to improve whole-person health rather than focusing primarily on risk management.
- Expanding resources through Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to include more no-cost virtual or in-person visits.
- Simplifying the consumer experience by leveraging technology and connecting specialty and medical benefits to make navigating the health system more intuitive and less burdensome.
- Recognizing that a significant health condition can have financial impacts on the individual and this can affect decisions regarding healthcare engagement.
- Improving access to health advocacy resources to help people bridge potential gaps within our healthcare systems.
To learn more about income protection, visit RealityCheckup.info, which is part of a CDA consumer outreach program to help working adults understand the importance of having alternate sources of income for times when they cannot work due to illness, injury, or pregnancy.
References on the bidirectional associations between physical and mental health conditions
1. Association Between Depression and Physical Conditions Requiring Hospitalization. Frank, P., Batty, D., Pentti, J., et. Al. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online May 3, 2023. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2804269?guestAccessKey=5c50825e-9542-4cef-ac8a-1a85a9de46b4&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=050323.
2. Pre-Existing and New-Onset Depression and Anxiety Among Workers With Injury or Illness Work Leaves. Gaspar, F., Wizner, K., Schott, F., et. al. J Occup Environ Med. 2020 Oct; 62(10): e567–e572. Published online 2020 Aug 5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7537737/.
