U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce
Insurance Services Programs
Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program
Information for Human Resources Professionals
2002 Announcements Archive
Holiday Hours for Long Term Care Partners Telephone Information Line
The telephone informaton line (1-800-LTC-FEDS or TTY 1-800-843-3557) is normally available from 8 am to midnight Eastern time 7 days a week. Special holiday hours are:
| December 24 | 8 am to 4 pm |
| December 25 | Closed |
| December 31 | 8 am to 9 pm |
| January 1 | Closed |
Call-up of Reserves
We added a Frequently Asked Question on the effect of serving on active duty in the reserves on the "actively at work" requirement. Days when a Federal or U.S. Postal Service employee are in a leave status in their Federal/Postal position, but on active duty in the uniformed services, count as days actively at work.
Information on the End of Open Season and Beyond
We have distributed an important new Benefits Administration Letter providing more information on the end of the Open Season, and what happens once we get beyond Open Season. We are also making available a new web page banner to remind employees that open season will be over soon. We urge you to add this banner to your web sites targeted to your employees.
We have also added a page to our web site reminding employees of the end of open season and what it means.
Important New Information on Leave Usage on November 29th and December 31st
Previously we stated that employees whose applications for long term care insurance had been approved were required to be "actively at work" (pay and duty status) for at least 50% of their scheduled tour of duty on their last regular work day before the scheduled effective date of their coverage. This meant that coverage could be delayed for one month, or more, for employees with applications approved in November and December if they were on leave on November 29 or December 31, respectively.
For this year only, coverage will NOT be delayed for employees in an approved leave status Nov 29th or Dec 31st as long as they return to being actively at work during the month when their coverage becomes effective and they pay their premium within established deadlines. More details.
Actively at Work
How many of you have heard this one from an employee: "WHY in the world do I have to be actively at work in order for my coverage to become effective?"
New Payroll/Annuity Deduction FAQs
We've posted a few new FAQs that discuss when enrollees can expect to see premium deductions from their paycheck or annuity payments. You'll probably want to take a look at them. If any of your employees ask questions about FLTCIP premiums, please ask them to contact Long Term Care Partners at 1-800-582-3337 (press option #3 for customer service).
CNA Plan
Read our new FAQs about a competitor's plan.
"Time is Running Out" Poster Now Available
A "Time is Running Out" poster has been distributed to the agency FLTCIP coordinators. A copy if also available for download from our posters page.
Educational and Satellite Broadcast Videos Now Available for Windows Media Player
The Program Educational Video and the Satellite Broadcast Videos are now available for downloading in Windows Media format, which may be viewed using the Windows Media Player software available on almost all Windows-based computers. The streaming video and downloadable versions of the videos which use RealOne Player are still available as well.
July 17 Satellite Broadcast Available Online
The July 17th satellite broadcast is now available for viewing via streaming video or for downloading to view later. This is the third and last of our satellite broadcasts for this year. The broadcast discusses in detail the features and benefits of the Federal Program, including who's eligible to apply, how the application process works, where folks can get more information, and what's happening during Open Season. Our March 6 and May 15 broadcasts are also available.
FLTCIP Educational Video Available Online
The Program Educational Video is now available in streaming video as well as zipped files to download for later viewing. This video is intended primarily for those people who will be unable to attend one of the Program Educational Meetings that Long Term Care Partners is now conducting across the country. Agencies may be especially interested in downloading the zipped version to their own servers for their employees who do not have access to an in-person meeting.
Error in the Full Underwriting Application
Question 4 in Part B of the full underwriting application contains an error. It SHOULD have specified "excluding basal cell or squamous cell cancer of the skin" after "Cancer within 2 years". Long Term Care Partners has already corrected the full underwriting application found on the www.ltcfeds.com website. OPM and Long Term Care Partners are drafting an errata sheet to start sending out with future hard-copy full underwriting applications. And the next printing of the full underwriting application will contain the correct wording. Long Term Care Partners is also reviewing all full underwriting applications it receives (or has already received). They will contact anyone who was declined coverage solely because of a "YES" answer to Part B, Question 4. If indeed the only listed condition in Part B, Question 4 that the applicant has/had is basal cell or squamous cell cancer of the skin, Long Term Care Partners will reverse the automatic denial and approve the application (assuming nothing else on the application would exclude that person). We have added two new questions to our FAQs explaining this error.
Satellite Broadcast Video Files Now Available for Later Viewing
In response to suggestions we've received, the March 6 and May 15 satellite broadcasts are now available as zipped files which may be downloaded for later viewing. You may wish to consider making these files available on your agency's intranet. The streaming video versions, which may be viewed as they are downloaded, are still available. And the July 17 broadcast will be available in both forms soon.
Month 5 Posters are Here!
Take a look at the posters for the Month 5 theme -- High Praise for the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program! Shipments of the posters and "slim jim" pamphlets to agency headquarters implementation coordinators began July 16.
Flyers Announcing July 17th Satellite Broadcast Now Available!
As promised in Benefits Administration Letter 02-908, we've posted flyers you can use to announce the July 17th satellite broadcast. The flyers are available in PDF 
[43 KB].
Month 4 Posters are Here!
Take a look at the posters for the Month 4 theme -- Ready for a Reality Check? Shipments of the posters and "slim jim" pamphlets to agency headquarters implementation coordinators have already begun.
Third and Final FLTCIP Satellite Broadcast - July 17th
The third and final live satellite broadcast on the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program will be held on Wednesday, July 17th, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time. In this broadcast, we'll discuss in detail the features and benefits of the Federal Program. We'll also talk about who's eligible to apply, how the application process works, where you can get more information, and what's happening during Open Season. As always, we'll have a question and answer period during the last portion of the broadcast. See BAL 02-908.
Comprehensive Program Guidance Issued
Open Season starts this MONDAY, July 1! And we have issued the long-awaited Benefits Administration Letter with detailed guidance on the Program. Please take the time to read the entire BAL. It'll answer most if not all of your questions about the roll-out of this important new benefit.
And mark your calendars for Monday -- the www.ltcfeds.com site will be updated with everything you need for Open Season, including applications and premiums for ALL the benefits available under the Program.
Finally, please note that starting Monday, the hours for the toll-free number increase to 8:00 am - midnight, Eastern time, 7 days a week. That's 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337) (TTY for deaf and hard of hearing, 1-800-843-3557).
Correction to Premium Rates Shown at Conference
We have found that the premium rates shown during the FLTCIP presentation at the 2002 Federal Benefits Conference were too high. We have corrected these rates in the posted versions of the conference slides. The corrected slide is on page 23 of the PDF file [528 KB] and is Slide 45 of the HTML version.
More Payroll/Annuity Guidance
Please read Benefits Adminstration Letter 02-313 for more details about the payroll/annuity process for the Program. The BAL includes a copy of the billing options page from the open season applications, plus a copy of the Payroll/Annuity Instruction Guide that will be part of the Open Season Information Kit.
2002 Federal Benefits Conference Slides
We enjoyed our stay in Norfolk for OPM's 2002 Federal Benefits Conference. As promised, here are the PowerPoint slides that we used during the plenary session on Wednesday, June 12th. Frank Titus, Paul Forte and Jodi Anatole talked about the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. We also hosted three break-out sessions, but there were no formal presentations at those sessions. The slides are almost, but not totally, identical to the handouts you received if you attended the plenary. We took this opportunity to correct a few typos and reordered a few of the slides. THIS version is the most up-to-date, and you should toss your handouts. Thanks.
- Web Slides
- PDF File [1 MB]
- Accessible Text Version
Month 3 Posters are Here!
Take a look at the posters for the Month 3 theme -- Can You Afford the Cost of Long Term Care? Shipments of the posters and "slim jim" pamphlets to agency headquarters implementation coordinators began this week.
Satellite Broadcasts Now Available Online
We have had many requests for copies of the FLTCIP satellite broadcasts. We are sending one videotape of each broadcast free of charge to each agency implementation coordinator, and extra copies can be purchased for $10 each. Both the May 15 and March 6 broadcasts may also now be viewed online in RealVideo format. See our Satellite Broadcasts page.
Please DO NOT Order Large Supplies of the Open Season Information Kits with Application
Based on information we've received from Long Term Care Partners, we have a feeling that some human resources offices at some agencies may not understand the application process for the upcoming open season.
Unlike with the FEHB and FEGLI Programs, agencies should NOT keep supplies of the information and application kits on-hand to give to their employees. Each employee who wishes to apply for the Program should call 1-800-582-3337 and request an information and application kit. Kits will be mailed in July. Applications will also be available at www.ltcfeds.com starting July 1.
There are several reasons why agencies should NOT order supplies of the kits: (1) Long Term Care Partners prepares a personalized rate quote for each person who requests a kit and therefore needs the name and date of birth of the person requesting the kit; (2) LTC Partners is carefully tracking requests and eventual applications, to see how many people follow through and apply after receiving a kit; and (3) The kits are expensive, and the budget anticipates only supplying them to people with a strong interest in applying.
Therefore, we have instructed Long Term Care Partners NOT to fulfill requests for multiple copies of the kits from agency HR offices. As always, we greatly appreciate your cooperation.
Most Frequently Asked Questions Posted
Our Most Frequently Asked Questions page identifies those questions that we are getting the most, and links to their answers in our Frequently Asked Questions pages. We try to keep this page up to date with those things that are of most interest at the moment, so check here from time to time to see what people are interested in now. And if you are getting a lot of questions on a particular topic, please let us know at ltc@opm.gov so that we can add it to this page.
Satellite Broadcasts Available Online
We have had many requests for copies of the FLTCIP satellite broadcasts. We are sending one videotape of each broadcast free of charge to each agency implementation coordinator, and extra copies can be purchased for $10 each. The March 6 broadcast may also now be viewed online in RealVideo format, and we hope to be able to post the May 15 broadcast shortly. See our new Satellite Broadcasts page.
Updated FAQs
If you haven't read the Frequently Asked Questions lately, be sure to take a look. We updated them to reflect changes now that early enrollment has ended and we're awaiting the start of the open season (July 1 - December 31). AND, we added a new section, Application Questions on Health, containing the actual underwriting questions that applicants will have to answer during open season.
Actively at Work
We added information to our Frequently Asked Questions about when coverage under this program becomes effective. There is an "actively at work" requirement. Take a look.
Coordinates for May 15th Satellite Broadcast Announced!
Take a look at BAL 02-906 to find out the coordinates for the May 15th satellite broadcast, as well as how to order copies of the broadcast. And mark your calendar for the final broadcast -- July 17th, from 12:30 - 1:30 EDT.
Month 2 Posters are Here!
Take a look at the posters for the Month 2 theme -- You're Not Covered! Agency headquarters implementation coordinators should be receiving their supply of posters and "slim jim" pamphlets supporting the posters at the end of April/beginning of May.
Read All About It! Payroll Deductions Coming Your Way!
Be sure to read our latest Benefits Adminstration Letter, 02-306. It has detailed information on the payroll and annuity deduction process for the Program. Remember, such deductions aren't available YET, but they will be available during open season, with the earliest effective date of October 1, 2002. The BAL has more details.
May 15 Satellite Broadcast
On Wednesday, May 15, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, OPM will sponsor the second of three live satellite broadcasts sponsored by the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. Our first broadcast on March 6th focused on long term care and the odds of needing such care. Since long term care insurance is unfamiliar to many people, the May 15th broadcast will give an overview of it and offer tips on making an informed decision about whether it's right for you. See Benefits Administration Letter 02-905.
New FAQs on Reducing Coverage and on the Eligibility of Persons Who Separated Under the FERS+10 Provision
Two new Frequently Asked Questions discuss the ability of enrollees to decrease the FLTCIP coverage at any time. Another new FAQ explains that employees who separate from service with title to an annuity under the Federal Employees Retirement System's Minimum Retirement Age plus 10 years service provision (FERS MRA+10) are eligible to apply for this Program.
LTC Insurance Background Page Posted
We have posted a page of useful background information on Long Term Care Insurance at www.opm.gov/insure/ltc/ltc_background.htm. This page contains statistical facts about Long Term Care Insurance, with source citations, that are useful in helping to publicize the importance of this insurance coverage to your agency employees.
Long Term Care Partners Guidance to Implementation Coordinators
Long Term Care Partners, LLC, regularly sends email to the Federal agency and military FLTCIP Implementation Coordinators providing information to help them inform potential participants about the program. We now have an archive of these messages for your continued reference.
New FAQ on Comparing the Cost of Long Term Care Insurance
A new frequently asked question discusses in some detail the factors to consider when comparing the cost of Federal Long Term Care Insurance with the cost of other policies. Long Term Care Partners's research indicates that the Federal Program is roughly 15-20% less expensive than comparable policies now available on the retail market. They arrived at this conclusion by examining several of the leading policies available, making adjustments for provisions that were not equal to those of the Federal Program, and then comparing rates.
Premium Calculator Interface Updated
We have uploaded version 2.0 of our Premium Calculator. The original calculator was working fine and giving correct results. That part has not been changed. All of the changes are interface improvements in response to comments that we have gotten from our users.
Federal Diary Online Interview Transcript
On Wednesday, March 27, 2002, Laura Lawrence, project leader for the long-term care insurance program, joined The Washington Post's Stephen Barr, who writes the Federal Diary column, for a live online Internet interview to discuss the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. A complete transcript of this informative interview is now available online.
LOTS of new information on the program!
We've posted extensively updated Frequently Asked Questions, and a nifty Premium Calculator to look up premiums for various combinations of benefits available in the program. The Long Term Care Partners' web site also has extensive new information about the program.
Early enrollment has begun, and it runs through May 15. Again, remember, this enrollment period is for those who know all about this type of insurance already. Most of your employees don't fit into this group. BUT, even those of us who don't can benefit from the new updated information on both sites, to prepare to make an informed decision about applying during the Open Season (starting July 1).
Encourage your employees to spend time at both sites. And send them directly to Long Term Care Partners at 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337) or TTY 1-800-843-3557 with their questions about the program. YOU don't have to and shouldn't answer their questions - just know where to refer them to get the answers they need.
AND agency headquarters implementation coordinators will soon receive the educational materials for this first month of the educational campaign, directly from Long Term Care Partners. The theme for this month is Long Term Care: What it Is and What it Isn't.
Early Enrollment Guidance
Early enrollment for the FLTCIP runs March 25 - May 15, 2002. Many of you have been asking us whether you should send your employees information about early enrollment.
We are NOT expecting you, or even encouraging you, to publicize the early enrollment to your employees. Early enrollment is for individuals who already know about long term care and long term care insurance. Certainly if someone asks you about early enrollment, you can give them the dates and tell them all the information on applying will be at www.ltcfeds.com, starting late in the afternoon on March 25. They can also call Long Term Care Partners at 1-800-582-3337 to request an early enrollment kit or discuss the benefits available. See BAL 02-904.
Further Clarification on Stepparent and Former Spouse Eligibility
Four new frequently asked questions cover stepparent and former spouse eligibility.
What is Long Term Care?
A new Frequently Asked Question answers the question What is Long Term Care, and how does it differ from acute care.
2002 Federal Benefits Conference Announced
Benefits Discovery 2002, which will be held the week of June 10 in the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, will provide you the information you need about retirement, insurance, and payroll-related issues. Human resource professionals who have responsibility for benefits administration, payroll, or employee relations are encouraged to attend. The conference registration deadline is May 3, 2002. Further information is now available on the conference web site.
Four New FAQ Questions
We have added questions to the FAQ as follows:
- A new FAQ explaining that all annuitants, whether they have retired from the uniformed services, Federal civilian, or Postal service, will have to answer the same questions about their health.
- A new FAQ explains that it is only necessary for a person to be an employee or annuitant for their qualified relatives to be able to apply for this insurance. Whether the employee or annuitant actually does apply for the coverage or not does not make any difference in the ability of their qualified relatives to apply.
- A new FAQ discusses some of the factors to be considered in deciding whether to apply for FLTCIP before or after retirement.
- A new FAQ explaining that the maximum benefit is available to you as soon as you are accepted for the insurance. You do not have to pay for the insurance for a designated amount of time before the money is available.
Seven New FAQ Questions
We have added questions to the FAQ as follows:
- Two new questions in the eligibility and benefits sections discuss coverage for those persons in an eligible group who are living overseas.
- Four new questions provide additional information on continued eligibility for coverage after leaving a qualified group.
- A new question in the miscellaneous section explains that our program is in no way associated with the long term care insurance offered by WAEPA, USAA, or various recreation associations targeted to Federal or military personnel, and that it is the is the ONLY program authorized by Congress to be officially offered to Federal employees and retirees, members and retired members of the uniformed services, and qualified family members.
Satellite Broadcasts on Long Term Care
On March 6, OPM and Long Term Care Partners will hold the first of three live satellite broadcasts aimed at preparing you and your colleagues to make smart decisions about the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). The March 6 broadcast will feature national experts discussing what long term care is, your odds of needing care, and what options are available to pay for long term care. OPM Director Kay Coles James will explain the importance of the FLTCIP, and fellow Federal employees will discuss some of the ways they've coped with the long term care needs of their family members. See BAL 02-903.
Continued Coverage Upon Leaving an Eligible Group
A number of people can be eligible to apply for the FLTCIP coverage based on the presence of one relative in an eligible group. What happens when that person leaves the qualified group with FLTCIP insurance, or when one of that person's relatives has this insurance? Four new FAQ questions address these questions.
New FAQ on Premium Rates
We have received a number of questions from people who want to know whether we can guaranteed that the FLTCIP premium rates will never increase. A new Frequently Asked Question explains that while we cannot guarantee these rates, we fully expect that they will never change.
"Did You Know" Educational Snippets Take on a New Purpose
With the responsibility for general education in long term care and long term care insurance switching to LTC Partners, the series of educational snippets that appears at the bottom of our home page is taking on a different purpose. Now they will be aimed toward specific features of our program, particularly those that might puzzle some of our customes. A snippet posted today covers an easy way for employees to determine if they are eligible for our program.
"Transferring with Credit" Not Allowed
We are getting many questions from people who want to know if they can get credit for an existing Long Term Care Policy when they enroll in our program. We know that many people will be disappointed with this, but there are valid reasons why they cannot "transfer" existing coverage and receive credit toward enrollment in the FLTCIP. Take a look at our new FAQs on this subject.
LTC Partners Presentation on Program Roll-Out
Here are the PowerPoint slides that LTC Partners presented at the Federal Benefits Officers meeting in the Campbell Auditorium at OPM headquarters on Monday, January 28th. Take a look and find out about a lot of the details on the roll-out.
- Web Pages (for newer browsers only)
- PowerPoint Presentation (requires PowerPoint software on your system)
[116K File] - PDF File [389 KB]
- Accessible Version
Don't Miss the Important Meeting for Federal Benefits Officers this Monday!
On Monday, January 28th, from 9:30 - noon in the Campbell Auditorium at OPM (1900 E Street, N.W.), representatives from Long Term Care Partners will talk about their plans for the roll-out of the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. We will post their presentation here after the meeting.
2002 Enrollment Periods Announced
The early FLTCIP enrollment will run from March 25 to May 15. This enrollment is designed ONLY for those who've done their homework and already know about long term care and long term care insurance. Payroll deductions for premium payments will NOT be available until the regular open season, which will run from July 1 through December 31, 2002. There will be staggered 60 day enrollment periods within the open season. We have posted new Frequently Asked Questions about the early enrollment and the open season. And we'll expand them as we have more details.
Who is in the Selected Reserve?
Selected Reserve members are eligible for our Long Term Care Insurance coverage. A newly posted FAQ explains who is in the Selected Reserve.
Widow and Widowers Eligibility
We have been receiving a number of questions on whether widows or widowers are eligible to apply for this insurance. A newly posted FAQ discusses this issue.
FLTCIP Presentation at Agency Payroll Officers Meeting
Laura Lawrence, a project leader in our Long Term Care Implementation Office, spoke at the Agency Payroll Officers meeting in the OPM auditorium on January 9th. Here are the Power Point slides from her talk. This talk was directed primarily to agency payroll offices, with special emphasis on payroll deduction requirements, and is not a general overview of the program.
- Web Slides
- PDF File [230 KB]
- Accessible Text Version
Length of Contract With LTC Partners
We have been receiving a number of questions on the duration of the contract with LTC Partners and what happens when this contract ends. A newly posted FAQ discusses this question.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management 1900 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20415 | (202) 606-1800 | TTY (202) 606-2532