Johnny Unitas did not receive medical benefits for his severely injured hand partially because he couldn?t navigate through the league?s disability process.
But the league and the NFL Players Association hope what happened to the Hall of Fame quarterback doesn?t happen again, as the two sides announced they will provide retired players with a free prescription drug card allowing them to purchase medications at a steep discount.
“These improvements look good on the surface,” former Colts running back Tom Matte said. “The NFL really seems to be hearing our plight and I feel [Commissioner] Roger Goodell is trying to make things happen and help retired players in need.”
Among the disability policy changes are: Retaining a medical director to assist with initial claims; Establishing physician teams in various areas to make it easier for retirees to get examined by specialists; Providing a claims specialist to assist retirees with the disability process; Having appeals voted on when possible by e-mail to expedite the appeals process.; Extending the continuation review period from three to five years for applicants receiving total and permanent disability.
“We at the NFLPA promised some time ago, including to the U.S. Congress, that we would do our best to improve and expedite the disability claims process, and these five concrete steps plus the prescription drug card help fulfill that promise,” said NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw in a statement.
The changes to the disability process and the new prescription drug plan comes in the same week the NFL and NFLPA announced the creation of a new benefit plan to assist eligible retired players in need of joint replacement surgery. Baltimore?s Union Memorial was one of 14 hospitals nationwide selected by the league to participate in the program.
Former Colts defensive back Bruce Laird said the recent improvements are a major step in the league caring for former players who suffered debilitating injuries during their professional careers during eras before multi-million dollar contracts.
“We are extremely pleased that the league and the NFLPA have finally listened to the cries of hundreds of players that have known the disability process has been broken for 30 years,” said Laird, who is also president of Fourth & Goal, an advocacy group for retired players. “But, the fact of the matter is without a better pension, the NFL not recognizing retired players and the NFLPA not representing them, no true changes can ever take place.”
