United States Office of Personnel Management

The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency

Benefits Administration Letter

Number: 23-901 Date: February 23, 2023 

Subject: New Federal Long Term Care Insurance 

Program (FLTCIP) Regulations

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a final regulation on

November 16, 2022, to support enhancing stability and flexibility in the 

Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) by amending when 

abbreviated underwriting is offered to prospective enrollees and finalizing 

rules for the suspension of applications for coverage.

This Benefits Administration Letter (BAL) provides details about the key 

provisions in the final regulation. 

Underwriting Changes

According to 5 U.S.C. 9002, FLTCIP is a medically-underwritten program.

Underwriting is the process of reviewing medical and health-related 

information provided in an insurance application to determine if the 

individual presents an acceptable level of risk to be considered insurable.

With this regulation, abbreviated underwriting is limited to special 

application periods and applications will otherwise be subject to full 

underwriting.
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Abbreviated Underwriting

In the prior regulations, new and newly eligible employees and spouses were 

offered a 60-day abbreviated underwriting period. Abbreviated underwriting 

means an individual answers fewer health-related questions than full 

underwriting. The new regulations eliminate the 60-day abbreviated 

underwriting period for newly eligible employees and their spouses. 

Full Underwriting

Under the new regulations, an eligible individual may apply for coverage 

with full underwriting at any time outside of a suspension period. Eligible 

individual means an employee, annuitant, member of the uniformed 

services, retired member of the uniformed services or qualified relative, as 

defined in 5 U.S.C. 9001.

If an eligible individual enrolls at any time outside of a special application 

period, the coverage effective date is the 1st day of the month after the date 

the application is approved. A spouse, domestic partner, or other qualified 

relative of a workforce member may apply for coverage with full 

underwriting at any time following the marriage or commencing date of the 

domestic partnership, outside of a suspension period as described in 

§875.110.

Changing Terminology for Abbreviated Underwriting Opportunities

OPM will no longer use the term “open season” for FLTCIP and instead use

the term “special application period” in the regulations. The term “special 

application period” more accurately reflects the underwritten nature of the 

benefit, and it will reduce confusion between a FLTCIP abbreviated 

underwriting opportunity and the annual Federal Benefits Open Season. The 

full definition added to the regulations is special application period and is a 

period in which active workforce members and their spouses may apply 

based on abbreviated underwriting. Such application periods will be provided 

for pursuant to OPM’s authority in 5 U.S.C. 9008.
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There are no regularly scheduled special application periods for long term 

care insurance. In situations where OPM determines that it is appropriate to 

have a special application period, OPM will announce any such period via 

a Federal Register Notice. The Notice will include the requirements for eligible 

applicants during the special application period.

Suspension of FLTCIP Applications

The final regulations allow OPM to suspend applications for FLTCIP coverage, 

including coverage increases, when OPM determines that a suspension is in 

the best interest of the Program. The regulations state that OPM will issue a 

notice in the Federal Register with the effective date and duration of the 

suspension period. The effective date will be at least 30 days after the date 

of the notice. At least 30 days before the end of the suspension period, OPM 

may issue a notice in the Federal Register announcing an extension of the 

suspension period when OPM determines that such extension is in the best 

interest of the Program.

OPM issued a Notice of Suspension in the Federal Register on November 18, 

2022 announcing a suspension for currently eligible and newly eligible 

individuals applying for coverage under the FLTCIP effective December 19, 

2022. Individuals may not apply to FLTCIP during the suspension period. 

Current enrollees may not apply to increase their coverage during the 

suspension period. The suspension will remain in effect for 24 months, 

unless OPM issues a subsequent notice, to end or extend the extension 

period.

Eligible individuals who submitted an application for FLTCIP to the program 

administrator, Long Term Care Partners, LLC, prior to December 19, 2022, 

will have their application considered. If the Carrier approves the application 

for coverage, then the individual will receive a benefit booklet and schedule 

of benefits with complete coverage information.

Current Enrollees

Current enrollees remain covered during the suspension period, with the 

benefit package they selected, as long as they pay their premiums. As noted 
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above, requests by current enrollees to increase coverage will not be 

considered during the suspension period. Anyone who applied to FLTCIP 

since October 21, 2019, and had their application approved, is in FLTCIP 3.0. 

This is the product that was open to applicants until December 18, 2022.

FLTCIP 3.0 includes the Premium Stabilization Feature (PSF).

The program administrator, Long Term Care Partners, will contact your 

enrolled employees directly with any important information that impacts 

enrollees in their group. Enrollees may set up an online account at 

LTCFEDS.com to review their current coverage and confirm their contact

information, to ensure receipt of all important updates about the program.

In addition, the FLTCIP program website is quickly updated with any 

information about potential or upcoming program changes. Current enrollees 

or anyone with general questions should be directed to LTCFEDS.com, which 

has current information about the program throughout the suspension 

period.

If you have any questions regarding this BAL, please contact Healthcare and 

Insurance’s Life and Ancillary Benefits group at LTC@opm.gov. 

Sincerely,

Laurie Bodenheimer

Associate Director

Healthcare and Insurance