Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

Employees

1. Can you give more specifics on who is included as an "employee"?
    
2. Can Non-appropriated Fund (NAF) employees apply for this insurance?
    
3. What if I have questions about my eligibility to apply for this Program?
    
4. Can DC Government employees apply for this insurance?
    
5. What about DC Government employees who retire (or are already retired) and are eligible for the Federal health benefits and/or the Federal life insurance program?
    
6. Are employees of the D.C. Government who were hired on or after October 1, 1987, eligible to apply for this insurance?
    
7. I am a Secret Service Agent covered under the D.C. (Government) Police and Firefighters Retirement System. Am I eligible to apply?

1. Can you give more specifics on who is included as an "employee"?

Here are the details (you can read the specifics in the law):

INCLUDED:

• Full-time Federal employees
• Part-time Federal employees
• Active members of the uniformed services
• Employees of the U.S. Postal Service
• Employees of the Tennessee Valley Authority
• Employees of the D.C. Courts
• D.C. Government employees who were first employed by the D.C. Government before October 1, 1987
• Members of Congress
• Congressional employees
• The President
• Employees of Gallaudet College
• An individual employed by a county committee established under section 590h(b) of title 16, United States Code
• An individual appointed to a position on the office staff of a former President or Vice President (see section 8901, U.S.C., for details related to this category)
• Employees serving under interim appointments under the Whistleblower Act
• Employees of the Navy Personnel Command (also known as BUPERS)

NOT INCLUDED:

• Employees of the District of Columbia Government who do not fit into one of the categories listed above
   
• An employee of a corporation supervised by the Farm Credit Administration if private interests elect or appoint a member of the board of directors
   
• An individual who is not a citizen or national of the United States and whose permanent duty station is outside the United States, unless the individual was an employee for the purpose of this chapter on September 30, 1979, by reason of service in an Executive agency, the United States Postal Service, or the Smithsonian Institution in the area which was then known as the Canal Zone
   
• An employee who is serving under an appointment limited to 1 year or less AND who has not completed 1 year of current continuous employment, excluding any break in service of 5 days or less.
   
  • BUT the following employees ARE covered, even if they are serving on a temporary appointment: An acting postmaster, a Presidential appointee appointed to fill an unexpired term, and an appointee that meets other special conditions (see 890.102 in the regs)
     
• An employee who is expected to work less than 6 months in each year
   
  • BUT the following employees ARE covered, even if they are expected to work less than 6 months in each year: employees who are employed under an OPM approved career-related work-study program under Schedule B of at least 1 year's duration and who are expected to be in a pay status for at least one-third of the total period of time from the date of the first appointment to the completion of the work-study program
     
• An intermittent employee (a non-full-time employee without a prearranged regular tour of duty)
   
• A beneficiary or patient employee in a Government hospital or home
   
• An employee paid on a contract or fee basis
   
  • BUT, the following employees ARE covered, even if paid on a contract or fee basis: employees who are citizens of the United States and are appointed by a contract between the employee and the Federal employing authority which requires their personal service and is paid on the basis of units of time.
     
• An employee paid on a piecework basis, except one whose schedule provides for full-time service or part-time service with a regular tour of duty.

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2. Can Non-appropriated Fund (NAF) employees apply for this insurance?

Public Law No. 107-314 provides that NAF entities MAY be covered under the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. However, this is NOT automatic.

The Secretary of Defense has the authority to determine that employees of a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense are eligible to apply for coverage under the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program OR may determine that they are covered under an alternative long term care insurance program.

As of December 29, 2003, Navy Personnel Command (BUPERS) employees and retirees, and their qualified relatives, became eligible to apply for insurance under this authority.

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3. What if I have questions about my eligibility to apply for this Program?

You should talk to someone in your human resources office at your agency. If you are a Federal or Postal employee and are in a position that conveys eligibility for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, in general you are eligible for this Program. Your H.R. office should be able to tell you if you are eligible for the FEHB Program. This doesn't mean that you need to be enrolled in FEHB, just that your current position conveys eligibility for FEHB coverage.

Some employees are no longer Federal employees, but are now working for a private entity, and yet they still have eligibility for FEHB. Those employees are NOT eligible to apply for the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP).

Employees who used to be Federal employees but are now private sector employees with a grandfathered right to certain Title 5 Federal benefits are NOT eligible to apply for the FLTCIP.

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4. Can DC Government employees apply for this insurance?

Some are eligible to apply and others are not. D.C. Government employees who were first employed by the D.C. Government before October 1, 1987, and employees of the D.C. Courts are eligible to apply for this insurance. Other DC Government employees are not eligible.

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5. What about DC Government employees who retire (or are already retired) and are eligible for the Federal health benefits and/or the Federal life insurance program?

Retired D.C. Government employees who were first employed by the D.C. Government before October 1, 1987, and retired employees of the D.C. Courts are eligible to apply for the insurance. Other DC Government retirees are not eligible.

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6. Are employees of the D.C. Government who were hired on or after October 1, 1987, eligible to apply for this insurance?

No, unless they are employees of the D.C. Courts.

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7. I am a Secret Service Agent covered under the D.C. (Government) Police and Firefighters Retirement System. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes, if you are in a position that conveys eligibility for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.

Some Secret Service Agents and U.S. Park Police are covered under the D.C. (Government) Police and Firefighters Retirement System. This does NOT mean they are D.C. Government employees or D.C. Government retirees. They are Federal employees or Federal annuitants.

Therefore, assuming they meet the other eligibility requirements, they are part of the Federal Family eligible to apply for insurance coverage under the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. However, they cannot pay premiums through deduction from their annuity that comes from the D.C. Government.

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