A. No. It is an entirely separate, unrelated program.

A. In general, people eligible to enroll in the FEHB Program will be eligible to apply for coverage under the FLTCIP (except District of Columbia employees and retirees. They are not eligible for the FLTCIP). So OPM thought that FEHB brochures and open season materials were natural vehicles for beginning to get the word out about an important new benefit that is coming later in 2002. The FLTCIP has no relationship to long term care insurance policies that may be sponsored or sold by organizations associated with the FEHB Program, or any other organization for that matter.

A. No.

A. No. It is a separate program providing separate benefits. Your FEHB enrollment doesn't cover long term care services. That's what the FLTCIP covers. Conversely, the FLTCIP isn't designed to cover health care costs - it provides reimbursement for chronic care services.

A. No. Self-and-family has meaning in the FEHB program, but not in the FLTCIP. In the new FLTCIP program, you apply for your own coverage and any of your eligible family members apply for their own individual coverage separately. Any of your eligible family members can apply for coverage even if you don't. Also, unlike the FEHB Program, the FLTCIP doesn't cover minor children but eligible adult (age 18 or over) "children" can apply for coverage.

A. Yes. He/she can apply for coverage even if you don't. Your spouse must answer the applicable underwriting (health-related) questions. You cannot apply for his/her coverage yourself.

A. We will have an early enrollment opportunity early in 2002, probably in March 2002. You can apply for the insurance by submitting an early enrollment application. If you pass the underwriting, you will have the insurance. BUT, our extensive education and marketing campaign won't be in full swing by then. Thus, we anticipate that only those people who have already done their homework and know all about long term care insurance will apply during the early enrollment opportunity. Early applicants may have to acknowledge that they are purchasing coverage without benefit of reviewing the informational materials that will be available during the open season later in the year. Early applicants will also have to make premium payments directly or by bank debit since pay and annuity deduction systems will not have been put in place. We'll post information about the early enrollment opportunity as soon as we have it.

There will also be an open enrollment/open season in the late summer/early fall of 2002, after our insurance partners have held thousands of educational meetings, produced satellite broadcasts and videos, unveiled an extensive new website with lots of interactive tools to learn about the insurance, sent information to employees and annuitants, etc.

A. No. The coverage is fully portable. That means that if you quit your job or retire, you still have the long term care insurance coverage, as long as you continue to pay the premiums.

A. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and John Hancock Life Insurance Company, in partnership as Long Term Care Partners, LLC.

A. Visit our website at www.opm.gov/insure/ltc. Be sure to click on the Frequently Asked Questions and Proposed Program Design.