Post-Exertional Malaise and Disability Insurance: What You Need to Know About the Two-Day CPET

If you have ME/CFS, Long COVID, or another fatigue-related illness and are navigating disability insurance, this webinar is for you. Disability attorney Andrew Kantor of Kantor & Kantor, LLP and exercise physiologist Staci Stevens of the Workwell Foundation walk through exactly how post-exertional malaise (PEM) and functional impairment get documented and used in disability claims. WHAT'S COVERED: 0:00 - Introduction 1:25 - Welcome & Speaker Introductions 3:35 - Overview of Disability Benefits (Andrew Kantor) 4:07 - Types of Disability Benefits: SSDI vs. Private LTD 6:15 - ERISA and Why Disability Claims Are So Often Denied 8:05 - Policy Limitations: Mental Health, Self-Reported Symptoms & Fatigue Limitations 11:34 - How Insurers Evaluate Claims and What "Objective Evidence" Really Means 14:09 - Three Types of Objective Testing (FCE, Neuropsychological Evaluation, Two-Day CPET) 16:46 - Why the Two-Day CPET Is the Best Option for Fatigue-Related Illness 18:21 - Introduction to Two-Day CPET (Staci Stevens, Workwell Foundation) 19:01 - What Is Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM)? 20:43 - Conditions Associated with PEM 21:48 - What Is a Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET)? 22:55 - What the CPET Measures 26:22 - Why One Test Is Not Enough 28:05 - How the Two-Day Protocol Was Developed 28:55 - NAM, ACSM & ACC Endorsements of the Two-Day CPET 30:54 - What the Research Shows: 50% Drop in Sustainable Work Capacity 33:38 - How Results Are Interpreted 34:58 - How to Prepare for the Test 36:07 - Recovery Time: Fast vs. Slow PEM Groups 38:15 - Weighing the Risks vs. Benefits of Testing 39:06 - Summary of the Two-Day CPET 40:28 - Addressing Concerns About the Test (Andrew Kantor) 43:01 - Risk Factors by Severity of Illness 45:23 - Informed Consent and When to Consider Alternatives 48:16 - Practical Advice for Managing Your Disability Claim 53:05 - Audience Q&A 1:07:08 - Closing & Contact Information TOPICS INCLUDE: Private disability insurance and ERISA plans Why fatigue-related illness claims are often denied What the two-day cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) measures How the two-day CPET differs from standard exercise testing Endorsements from the NAM, ACSM, ACC, and CDC How to use CPET results as objective evidence in a disability claim Common documentation mistakes that hurt claims When to contact a disability attorney This webinar is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. RESOURCES: Workwell Foundation: https://workwellfoundation.org Kantor & Kantor, LLP: https://www.kantorlaw.net Facebook:   / kantorandkantor   Instagram:   / kantorkantorlaw   #insuranceattorney #benefitclaims #disabilitylaw #disabilitylawyer #californialawfirm #CADisabilityLawyer #californialawfirm #lawfirm #insurancetips #disabilityinsurance #lifeinsurance #lifeinsurancelawyer #ERISAattorney #ERISAlawyer #badfaithlawyer #badfaithattorney #LongTermCare #LTCLawyer #LongTermDisability #LongTermDisabilityDenial #LTDDenial #LTDLawyer #ShortTermDisabilityDenial #STDDenial 📲 Please feel free to reach out with any questions. 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 SUBSCRIBE TO THIS CHANNEL HERE:    / @kantorkantorllpattorneys