Frequently Asked Questions

Increasing and Decreasing Coverage

1. Can I increase my Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) coverage?
    
2. Can I decrease my coverage?
    
3. I want to increase one benefit and decrease another. How do I do that?
    
4. How do I know if the change I want to make is an increase or decrease?
    
5. How are my premiums calculated if I increase my coverage? Do I get credit for my age when I originally applied? And if I move to FLTCIP 2.0, do I get credit for the time I was covered under FLTCIP 1.0?
    
6. Do I get a “free look” after I increase or decrease my coverage?
    
7. I’m enrolled in FLTCIP 1.0, but I want to change to FLTCIP 2.0. How can I do that?
    
8. If I move to FLTCIP 2.0, can I change my mind and return to FLTCIP 1.0?
    
9. If I completed some of my waiting period in FLTCIP 1.0 and move to FLTCIP 2.0, do I get credit for what I already completed?
    
10. I currently have 5% ACIO and want to switch to 4% ACIO. How will this affect my daily benefit amount (DBA)?
     
11. If I decrease my coverage, can I ever get paid-up benefits because I've already paid for higher benefits for a long time?

1. Can I increase my Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) coverage?

At any time, you may request an increase in your coverage by contacting Long Term Care Partners. This includes the following types of increases:

• FLTCIP 1.0 enrollees who wish to increase their FLTCIP 1.0 coverage
   
• FLTCIP 1.0 enrollees who wish to increase their coverage and change to FLTCIP 2.0 coverage
   
• FLTCIP 2.0 enrollees who wish to increase their FLTCIP 2.0 coverage
   

In order to get an increase you must provide, at your expense, evidence of your good health that is satisfactory to Long Term Care Partners. The benefit levels to which you wish to increase must be available in the plan in which you are requesting the change. For example, you couldn't increase to a $500 daily benefit amount in FLTCIP 2.0 if the highest we offer in that plan is $450.

To request a Coverage Change Application to apply for an increase in coverage, please call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337) (TTY 1-800-843-3557). Or, visit www.LTCFEDS.com/SecureEmail/ to contact us via email.

[ Back to top ]
 

2. Can I decrease my coverage?

Yes. You can request a decrease in your coverage at any time by contacting Long Term Care Partners.

• FLTCIP 1.0 enrollees may decrease their FLTCIP 1.0 coverage
   
• FLTCIP 2.0 enrollees may decrease their FLTCIP 2.0 coverage
   

The reduced benefit level must be available in your current plan. For example, if you are a FLTCIP 1.0 enrollee, you cannot request to decrease to a 2 year benefit period because that is not available in the FLTCIP 1.0.

If you decrease your coverage, your premium will correspondingly decrease. You do not have to undergo new underwriting in order to decrease your coverage.

[ Back to top ]
 

3. I want to increase one benefit and decrease another. How do I do that?

Our customer service representatives can help you with this request. Please call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337) (TTY 1-800-843-3557). Or, visit www.LTCFEDS.com/SecureEmail/ to contact us via email.

Please understand that any request to increase benefits, even if accompanied by a request to decrease other benefits, would require you to complete a Coverage Change Application and provide, at your expense, evidence of your good health that is satisfactory to Long Term Care Partners.

[ Back to top ]

 

4. How do I know if the change I want to make is an increase or decrease?

Our customer service representatives can help identify if your change is an increase or decrease. Please call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337) (TTY 1-800-843-3557). Or, visit www.LTCFEDS.com/SecureEmail/ to contact us via email.

[ Back to top ]

 

5. How are my premiums calculated if I increase my coverage? Do I get credit for my age when I originally applied? And if I move to FLTCIP 2.0, do I get credit for the time I was covered under FLTCIP 1.0?

If you increase your coverage, your new premium will be calculated using a blended rate that includes the price of your coverage increase at your current age and the price of your remaining coverage levels at the age(s) you acquired them. This results in a lesser premium for the increase in coverage than if you were a new applicant requesting the same coverage.

Moving from FLTCIP 1.0 to FLTCIP 2.0 counts as an increase in coverage. Consequently, your premium would be calculated using the blended rate described above.

[ Back to top ]

 

6. Do I get a “free look” after I increase or decrease my coverage?

Yes. Within 30 days after you receive approval of a request for an increase or a decrease in your coverage, you may cancel the increase or decrease in your coverage, and it will be as if the increase or decrease in your coverage was never issued. We will refund any premium that is due you within 30 days.

[ Back to top ]

 

7. I’m enrolled in FLTCIP 1.0, but I want to change to FLTCIP 2.0. How can I do that?

At any time, you may request changes to your coverage, including a change from FLTCIP 1.0 to FLTCIP 2.0. Some changes may require you to provide, at your expense, evidence of your good health that is satisfactory to Long Term Care Partners, and may be accompanied by a higher premium. If you wish to move from FLTCIP 1.0 to FLTCIP 2.0, please call our Customer Service Center at 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337) (TTY 1-800-843-3557). Or, visit www.LTCFEDS.com/SecureEmail/ to contact us via email.

[ Back to top ]

 

8. If I move to FLTCIP 2.0, can I change my mind and return to FLTCIP 1.0?

Yes, during the free look period described above you may cancel your FLTCIP 2.0 coverage and return to your previous FLTCIP 1.0 coverage. However, once your free look period has ended you cannot return to FLTCIP 1.0.

[ Back to top ]

 

9. If I completed some of my waiting period in FLTCIP 1.0 and move to FLTCIP 2.0, do I get credit for what I already completed?

Yes., the waiting period days you completed in FLTCIP 1.0 will count toward your FLTCIP 2.0 waiting period. However, because FLTCIP 2.0 only offers a 90 calendar day waiting period, if you fully completed a 30 day waiting period in FLTCIP 1.0 and then move to FLTCIP 2.0, you will have 60 days remaining before your FLTCIP 2.0 waiting period is met.

[ Back to top ]

 

10. I currently have 5% ACIO and want to switch to 4% ACIO. How will this affect my daily benefit amount (DBA)?

Each inflation increase that you have accrued under the 5% ACIO will be recalculated at the rate of 4%. As a result, your total daily benefit amount will end up being less than what you had under 5% ACIO because it will be calculated at a lesser rate.

For example, if you began with a daily benefit amount of $150 and had 5% ACIO for 7 years, you would have accrued $61 in inflation protection increases, for a total DBA of $211. If you then switched to 4% ACIO and kept your original DBA of $150, your inflation increases would be recalculated and your total DBA would now be $197:

[ Back to top ]

 

11. If I decrease my coverage, can I ever get paid-up benefits because I've already paid for higher benefits for a long time?

No, the FLTCIP does not offer paid-up benefits in this circumstance. At the time you paid for your higher benefits, you were insured for those higher benefits and received that protection for all the years you had the higher level of coverage. Your premiums will decrease when your benefits decrease.

[ Back to top ]