Key Facts about Long-Term Care Insurance

What is long-term care?

Long-term care is the term for helping people who develop disabilities or chronic care needs. For example, there may come a time when you or a loved one needs help walking, getting dressed, eating, or bathing. It also includes the kind of care you would need if you had a severe cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease. Long-term care services may be brief with full recovery, or they can continue for years. Services may be provided in a person’s home, in a residential facility such as a nursing home or assisted living facility.

What services are covered?

Your long-term care insurance policy will pay benefits for services received at home (such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, grooming and assistance with other activities of daily living), or in an assisted living facility or in a nursing home if the situation requires more intensive attention on a daily basis.

When am I eligible for the payment of benefits?

To be eligible for any benefits provided under your policy, you must be chronically ill. This means that you have been certified within the last twelve (12) months by a licensed health care practitioner as:

• being unable to perform, without substantial assistance from another person, at least two activities of daily living for a period that is expected to last at least ninety (90) consecutive days due to a loss of functional capacity; or

• requiring substantial supervision to protect you from threats to health and safety due to a severe cognitive impairment.

Once certified as benefits eligible, the 90 calendar day benefit waiting period will begin. For more details regarding payment of benefits, please request a sample policy from your LTC Specialist.

What is the “right” age to buy Long-Term Care Insurance (LTC)?

Because your premiums are based on your age and health, the younger you are the lower your premiums.  Premiums typically increase 8-10% each year a person waits to buy coverage.

What benefits do I receive?  What does the policy cover?

When you purchase long-term care insurance, you are buying a pool of dollars from which you can pay for long-term care services.

What is the difference between a long-term care and a long-term disability plan?

Long-term disability coverage replaces lost income to maintain one’s lifestyle and is not designed to pay for care.  Long-term care insurance provides the funds to pay for the actual cost of your care. 

When do new hires enroll?

New hires are eligible for reduced health screening if they apply within 90 days of their date of hire.  New hires who do not apply within their 90-day special enrollment period or any Montgomery County Government employee who did not apply during the special enrollment period, may apply at any time; however, their applications will be fully underwritten. 

How do I apply?

To take advantage of this opportunity, an ACSIA Partners specialist will work with you to complete the application process.  To contact an ACSIA Partners specialist, please call (877) 403-1117 Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.

By working with ACSIA Partners, you can request information, access quotes, or set up an individual or family consultation with an ACSIA Partners specialist.