Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

Qualified Relatives

1. Who is a "qualified relative"?
    
2. Can my 10 year old son who is disabled sign up for this program?
    
3. Can I sign up my eligible family members?
    
4. Do I have to apply in order for my spouse to be eligible?
    
5. Can I enroll in self and family to cover all my qualified relatives?
    
6. Can survivors of Federal employees who are receiving a survivor annuity and survivors of Federal annuitants who are receiving a survivor annuity apply for the insurance?
    
7. I'm a widow(er) of a Federal annuitant who never elected a survivor annuity. Am I eligible to apply for this insurance?
    
8. Are surviving spouses of deceased members or retired members of the uniformed services eligible to apply for this insurance?
    
9. I'm a surviving spouse of a deceased member or retired member of the uniformed services and I'm NOT receiving a survivor annuity. Am I eligible?
    
10. I'm a surviving spouse of a deceased member or retired member of the uniformed services, am NOT receiving a survivor annuity, but I AM eligible for military health benefits. Am I eligible?
     
11. I'm a former spouse of a person who is eligible to apply for this insurance. Am I eligible too? Would I be eligible if I were receiving a survivor annuity?
     
12. I'm a former spouse with a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QUADRO) which entitles me to half of my ex-spouse's benefits. So wouldn't I be eligible for this Program too?
     
13. How does the Program define stepparent?
     
14. I am an eligible employee. My mom was married to my stepfather for 25 years. My stepfather raised me and is the only father I've ever known, although he never adopted me. However, he divorced Mom last year. Is he eligible to apply for this insurance?
     
15. I am an eligible employee. My stepmother was married to my natural father for years. Dad died last year. Is my stepmother eligible to apply for this insurance?
     
16. I am an eligible employee. Does "parent-in-law" include my spouse's parents, even though my spouse is no longer alive?
     
17. Is OPM considering adding any additional qualified relative groups other than those mentioned in the law (for example, grandparents, brothers and sisters, foster children, etc)?
     
18. Can common law spouses of eligible individuals apply for the insurance?

1. Who is a "qualified relative"?

There are three categories of qualified relatives under the law:

• Current spouses of living employees and annuitants (surviving spouses of deceased members and retired members of the uniformed services who are receiving a survivor annuity are eligible as "spouses")
   
• Adult children (at least 18 years old, including natural children, adopted children and stepchildren) of living employees and annuitants
   
• Parents, parents-in-law, and stepparents of living employees (but not of annuitants)

See the FAQ on eligible employees and annuitants for more details on who is included as an employee or annuitant.

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2. Can my 10 year old son who is disabled sign up for this program?

No. Only adult children (age 18 and over) are eligible to apply for coverage. And, they must pass full underwriting.

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3. Can I sign up my eligible family members?

No. If you are eligible to apply for the insurance (whether or not you actually apply), your qualified relatives can apply. But you cannot "sign them up". There is no self and family coverage.

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4. Do I have to apply in order for my spouse to be eligible?

No. Each eligible person in the "Federal Family" has an independent right to apply for the insurance. The person they are related to need not apply.

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5. Can I enroll in self and family to cover all my qualified relatives?

No. There is no self and family coverage in this program. Each eligible person applies in his/her own right.

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6. Can survivors of Federal employees who are receiving a survivor annuity and survivors of Federal annuitants who are receiving a survivor annuity apply for the insurance?

Yes, they can.

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7. I'm a widow(er) of a Federal annuitant who never elected a survivor annuity. Am I eligible to apply for this insurance?

Unfortunately, you are not eligible to apply. In order for a surviving spouse of a Federal employee or a surviving spouse of a Federal annuitant to be eligible to apply for this insurance, he/she must be receiving a Federal survivor annuity.

If you enrolled while your spouse was alive, you would keep the coverage as long as you continued to pay premiums - even if your Federal annuitant spouse later died without electing a survivor annuity.

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8. Are surviving spouses of deceased members or retired members of the uniformed services eligible to apply for this insurance?

Yes, they are eligible if they are receiving a survivor annuity.

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9. I'm a surviving spouse of a deceased member or retired member of the uniformed services and I'm NOT receiving a survivor annuity. Am I eligible?

No, you are not eligible because you are not receiving a survivor annuity.

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10. I'm a surviving spouse of a deceased member or retired member of the uniformed services, am NOT receiving a survivor annuity, but I AM eligible for military health benefits. Am I eligible?

No, you are not eligible because you are not receiving a survivor annuity.

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11. I'm a former spouse of a person who is eligible to apply for this insurance. Am I eligible too? Would I be eligible if I were receiving a survivor annuity?

No. Former spouses who are not eligible in their own right (for example, as an employee or retiree) are not eligible to apply for this insurance, even if they are receiving a survivor annuity.

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12. I'm a former spouse with a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QUADRO) which entitles me to half of my ex-spouse's benefits. So wouldn't I be eligible for this Program too?

No. Former spouses who are not eligible in their own right (for example, as an employee or retiree) are not eligible to apply for this insurance, even if they have a QUADRO.

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13. How does the Program define stepparent?

A stepparent is the person who is currently married to the employee/member’s parent, or if the parent is deceased, the person who was married to the employee/member’s parent at the time of his/her parent’s death.

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14. I am an eligible employee. My mom was married to my stepfather for 25 years. My stepfather raised me and is the only father I've ever known, although he never adopted me. However, he divorced Mom last year. Is he eligible to apply for this insurance?

No, he is not.

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15. I am an eligible employee. My stepmother was married to my natural father for years. Dad died last year. Is my stepmother eligible to apply for this insurance?

Yes, she is. She is your current stepparent, regardless of whether your natural parent is still alive.

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16. I am an eligible employee. Does "parent-in-law" include my spouse's parents, even though my spouse is no longer alive?

Yes, as long as you have not remarried. Parents-in-law include the parents of a deceased spouse, as long as the employee or active member of the uniformed services has not remarried.

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17. Is OPM considering adding any additional qualified relative groups other than those mentioned in the law (for example, grandparents, brothers and sisters, foster children, etc)?

Not at this time. The law makes a limited set of qualified relatives eligible to apply for the long term care insurance (spouses and adult children of both employee and retiree groups, and parents/parents-in-law/stepparents of the employee groups).

While the law provides us with a limited amount of discretionary authority to designate other groups as qualified relatives, we decided not to add any additional groups beyond those specified by Congress.

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18. Can common law spouses of eligible individuals apply for the insurance?

Yes, a common law spouse is eligible to apply, if the common law marriage is recognized by the state in which the couple lives or previously lived.

So this means that IF you:

• currently live or lived at some point in a state that recognizes common law marriages, AND
• met that state's requirements for a common law marriage at that time

THEN you are eligible to apply for insurance coverage under the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. If you have any questions about the validity of your marriage, please consult someone who specializes in marital law.

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