Long Term Care Insurance - The Federal Long - Term Care Employee Program

The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) is a voluntary insurance program that helps eligible federal employees, retirees, and their qualified relatives pay for long-term care services. Long-term care services include assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, and transferring, or care for cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer's disease¹².

The FLTCIP is sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and administered by Long Term Care Partners, LLC. The FLTCIP is not part of the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, but it works with FEHB and other health insurance plans to provide comprehensive coverage for long-term care needs¹².

The FLTCIP offers a variety of benefit options and features that allow enrollees to customize their coverage to suit their preferences and budget. Some of the options include:

- Benefit period: The length of time that benefits are payable, ranging from two years to unlimited

- Daily benefit amount: The maximum amount that the FLTCIP will pay per day for covered services, ranging from $100 to $450

- Inflation protection: A feature that automatically increases the daily benefit amount and the maximum lifetime benefit each year to keep pace with inflation

- Waiting period: The number of days that an enrollee must pay for covered services out of pocket before benefits begin, ranging from 30 to 365 days

- Premium stabilization feature: A feature that helps reduce the potential need for future premium increases by setting aside a portion of the premiums in a fund that can be used to offset unexpected increases in claims costs¹

The FLTCIP covers a wide range of long-term care services, including:

- Home health care: Care provided by a nurse, home health aide, therapist, or personal care worker in the enrollee's home

- Adult day care: Care provided in a community-based center that offers social and health-related services during the day

- Assisted living facility: A residential facility that provides personal care and health-related services

- Nursing home: A licensed facility that provides 24-hour skilled nursing care and personal care

- Hospice care: Care that focuses on comfort and quality of life for terminally ill patients and their families

- Informal care: Care provided by an unpaid family member or friend who is not a licensed health care provider¹

To enroll in the FLTCIP, applicants must meet certain eligibility criteria and complete a medical underwriting process. 

Eligibility criteria include:

- Being a federal or U.S. Postal Service employee or annuitant who is eligible for the FEHB Program (whether enrolled or not)

- Being an active or retired member of the uniformed services who is eligible for the FEHB Program (whether enrolled or not)

- Being a spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, or stepparent of an eligible employee or annuitant

- Being a spouse or domestic partner of an eligible active or retired member of the uniformed services¹²

The medical underwriting process involves answering questions about health history and current health status. Some applicants may also be required to provide medical records or undergo a personal health interview. Based on the information provided, applicants may be approved or denied for coverage¹.

The FLTCIP is designed to be affordable and flexible for enrollees. Enrollees can choose to pay their premiums through payroll deduction, annuity deduction, automatic bank withdrawal, or direct billing. Enrollees can also change their coverage options at any time, subject to additional underwriting. Enrollees can cancel their coverage at any time without penalty¹.

The FLTCIP is currently undergoing a review by OPM and the insurance carrier, John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company, to assess the benefit offerings and establish sustainable premium rates. 

As a result, applications for coverage under the FLTCIP were suspended effective December 19, 2022. This suspension does not affect existing enrollees or their benefits².

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(1) LTCFEDS | The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). https://www.ltcfeds.com/.

(2) Long Term Care - U.S. Office of Personnel Management. https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/long-term-care/.CFEDS. https://www.ltcfeds.com/

(3) Login | FLTCIP -