Claim reviewer just had me report a change of health circumstances during phone review. Concerned

mangofrog

I’m on LCWRA due to severe Long Covid which I’ve had since 2020. Just had my second UC claim review.

During the call the reviewer asked if I’d been diagnosed with any new health conditions since opening my claim, which I have. (I wasn’t asked this during my last review.) It hadn’t occurred to me to report a change of circumstances bc a) my overall health status hasn’t changed - I’ve never become well enough to do any work-related activity, b) these were not new symptoms I started experiencing - I’d mentioned them in my initial claim - it was just a case of finally getting an official diagnosis for them, and c) I generally view all my health issues as under the umbrella of Long Covid - what was listed on my claim - since that’s what triggered them.

The reviewer had me report a change of circumstances in relation to this diagnosis whilst on the phone with him. I submitted this new diagnosis in addition to my Long Covid, so it didn’t replace it at all. Whilst submitting, one of the questions asked was ‘do you have any conditions which affect your ability to work?’ to which I answered yes.

I’m a bit concerned for a couple reasons. First, when I’d finished it said ‘contact us within 5 days if you think you’ve been under- or over-paid-‘ (I don’t) ‘-you’ll need to explain why you didn’t report this change sooner.’ I asked the reviewer about this and he asked why I hadn’t reported it - when I explained he said it should be fine and to just say that if anyone does ask me about it. But I still feel on edge.

Secondly, I’m concerned that any change of circumstances wrt health could trigger an investigation of my claim/require me to start a new claim etc. I checked my journal to see what was listed under my recent change and it said ‘Claimant has a health condition that affects their ability to work’ alongside the date of this specific diagnosis. No mention of the diagnosis itself. That worries me since that’s not a change of circumstance - I’ve had a health condition affecting my ability to work since I first started the claim. I just now have an official diagnosis for something I didn’t have before.

Does anyone have any info on/experience with this? Should I be concerned? Or will they understand that it’s just a case of being given a diagnosis for symptoms I already had and not that my state of health has actually changed?

Would it be worth posting a journal entry to fully explain this, or do I just risk drawing unnecessary attention to my claim by doing that?

I did just receive a journal message saying that my review is complete and they can confirm my UC won’t change, but idk if someone still might see that change of circumstances after the fact and if that could have consequences.

Thank you