United States Office of Personnel Management
The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency
Benefits Administration Letter
Number: 23-902 Date: September 11, 2023
Subject: Federal Long Term Care Insurance
Program (FLTCIP)
This Benefits Administration Letter (BAL) provides guidance about an
Enrollee Decision Period for FLTCIP enrollees, to be held from September 11
to November 9, 2023.
Contract Extension
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has extended the Federal
Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) contract with John Hancock
Life & Health Insurance Company (John Hancock) for a new seven-year
period beginning May 1, 2023. John Hancock, the FLTCIP insurance carrier,
is required to monitor FLTCIP experience and propose corrective action to
OPM when experience indicates that it may be needed.
Recent analysis of the program’s actual and projected experience concludes
that a premium rate increase is needed. The current FLTCIP premiums are
not sufficient to meet future projected obligations. Under the extended
contract, premium rates will increase for many enrollees effective January 1,
2024. OPM is holding an Enrollee Decision Period for current enrollees from
September 11 to November 9, to give them the opportunity to review their
current coverage and make decisions that allow them to accept or mitigate
the impact of the premium increase.
Benefits Administration Letter 23-902
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Long Term Care Partners, LLC, (LTCP) a subsidiary of John Hancock, will
continue to administer the program. Their toll-free phone number, 1-800-
582-3337 (TTY 1-800-843-3337), and website, LTCFEDS.com, remain the
same.
General Notification Letters to Enrollees
FLTCIP enrollees were sent two general notification letters. The first letter,
sent in May 2022, notified enrollees that a premium increase was likely. The
second letter, sent in May 2023, informed enrollees that personalized
options would be mailed in September 2023.
Enrollee Decision Period for Current FLTCIP Enrollees
a) Personalized Options
LTCP will send each impacted enrollee a 2023 Enrollee Decision Period letter
package with personalized options. The package will include an introductory
letter, a return envelope, an informational brochure, and a Benefit Options
Worksheet with detailed information about the enrollee’s current coverage
and options to change coverage. Most enrollees will be provided with an
option to reduce certain components of their coverage to help keep their
premium at or near its current level. All enrollees impacted by a premium
rate increase will receive the option to choose a paid-up, limited benefit,
with no future premiums due. This is referred to as a contingent benefit
upon lapse and is a consumer protection feature that is built into FLTCIP
coverage and available under certain conditions when a premium increase
occurs.
Enrollees may request other benefit decreases not indicated on the Benefit
Options Worksheet based on program options available at this time and can
call LTCP to learn more.
Most FLTCIP enrollees are impacted by the current premium increase
effective January 1, 2024. Enrollees who are impacted include those who:
• have FLTCIP 1.0, FLTCIP 2.0, or FLTCIP Alternative Insurance Program
(AIP) coverage, and
• are not currently eligible for benefits or waiting for a decision on a
pending claim.
Benefits Administration Letter 23-902
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Note: There may be exceptions to the list above depending on an enrollee’s
issue age (the age they applied and were approved for coverage). If a
FLTCIP enrollee is excluded from the current premium increase, they will
receive a letter indicating this. Enrollees in the FLTCIP 3.0 plan which was
introduced on October 21, 2019, are not impacted by this premium increase.
b) Timing of the 2023 Enrollee Decision Period letter mailing
The personalized letters will be mailed in mid-September and will be
staggered over several days; not all enrollees will receive their packages at
the same time. Beginning September 11, enrollees may also visit
LTCFEDS.com/login to log into or register for a My LTCFEDS account to
review their personalized options and make their selection online.
c) Due Date for Decision
The deadline for enrollees to submit a selection is November 9, 2023. If
LTCP does not receive a selection by November 9, 2023, the enrollee’s
premium will increase, effective January 1, 2024, and they will maintain
their current coverage with any applicable inflation increases.
d) Effective Date
The effective date for all coverage and/or premium changes made during the
Enrollee Decision Period will be January 1, 2024, regardless of when during
the Enrollee Decision Period the selection is made.
e) For Current Enrollees Only
The Enrollee Decision Period is for current impacted FLTCIP enrollees only. It
is not a general open season. OPM suspended applications for coverage
under the FLTCIP effective December 19, 2022, for a two-year period
subject to extension.
f) Educational Resources
The 2023 Enrollee Decision Period letter package includes details about each
of the personalized options provided. The FLTCIP website LTCFEDS.com/help
will have general questions and answers on the contract extension and the
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Enrollee Decision Period. The FLTCIP website, LTCFEDS.com, will also have
digital resources, specific to each plan type, that enrollees can access in
their My LTCFEDS online account to help in the decision-making process.
Long Term Care Partners, LLC has a call center with trained customer service
representatives to help current enrollees understand their choices.
Personalized assistance is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ET) at 1-800-
582-3337 (TTY 1-800-843-3357).
g) Enrollee Decision Period Resources for Agency Benefits Officers
LTCP is hosting an informational training webinar for Agency Benefits
Officers about the 2023 Enrollee Decision Period. The event will air live on
Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at 2 p.m. (ET). You may register for the
live event or view the on-demand version if you cannot attend. LTCP will
host webinars for FLTCIP enrollees on September 26 and 28.
A fact sheet has also been created to help agencies handle questions. Please
share with all agency personnel—especially agency-shared service centers—
who field benefits questions from employees and retirees.
If you have any questions regarding this Benefits Administration Letter,
please contact the FLTCIP Program Office at ltc@opm.gov. You may also
contact your FLTCIP account manager at LTCFEDSInfo@ltcpartners.com for
assistance.
Sincerely,
Laurie Bodenheimer
Associate Director
Healthcare and Insurance
