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New Long-Term Care Insurance Plan Creates Opportunity for Faculty and Staff

Special Enrollment Period Aug. 16 - Sept. 10

No one likes to think about getting older or being injured, but nearly half of us at some point in our life will need assistance with day-to-day functions such as eating, dressing or bathing. Such care is expensive - the average cost for nursing home care is almost $55,000 per year - but through Duke's long-term care insurance, faculty and staff can now plan for such circumstances.

As a result of an ongoing assessment of benefit plan providers, Duke is replacing its voluntary long term care insurance plan provider and is pleased to announce an enhanced benefit with better coverage and lower rates. The enhanced plan is provided by Aetna Life Insurance Company, one of the nation's leading insurance providers. As a result of this change, Duke is offering a special enrollment period for long term care insurance from August 16 through September 10, 2004.

As part of the special enrollment period, faculty and staff can enroll for this benefit without having to complete an underwriting questionnaire about their current health, which is standard for such insurance.

"Many people don't stop to think about the likelihood of themselves or a family member needing long-term care or the exorbitant cost of that care," said Lois Ann Green, director of Benefits. "This special enrollment period for our new long term care insurance plan offers faculty and staff an excellent opportunity to make a decision that could one day affect the quality of their life and the lives of their loved ones."

Long-term care insurance protects you, your family, and your assets by helping to pay for a wide range of personal care, health care and social services for people who can no longer care for themselves, whether it be at home, in an adult day care center, assisted living facility, nursing home or hospice. It provides assistance with normal activities of daily living if you are disabled or have a chronic illness and will also provide assistance if you have a serious cognitive disorder such as Alzheimer's disease. These types of care are typically not covered by health insurance, long-term disability insurance, or government sponsored programs such as Medicare or Medicaid.

Nancy Wooters, assistant director of application and database services in the Office of Information Technology, has participated in Duke's long-term care insurance for 13 years, but it was a recent experience with her mother that confirmed she made a good decision when she chose to participate in the plan.

"When my stepfather passed away, I realized my mother could no longer live on her own, but she wanted to remain in her hometown in South Carolina, so moving in with us was not an option," Wooters said. "I was concerned she may not be able to afford a place that I would feel comfortable having her move into. Fortunately, my stepfather had purchased a long-term care insurance policy for my mother and when we factored that into her finances, it made all the difference. She was able to move into a wonderful assisted living facility where she gets the assistance she needs.

"Peace of mind means a lot to me, and the experience I went through with my mother only confirmed what I already knew about the importance of long-term care insurance," Wooters said. "It really showed me the value of long-term care insurance, and I feel fortunate to have coverage through Duke for my husband and myself."

Faculty and staff scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week are eligible to apply for coverage. Coverage may be purchased for the faculty or staff member, spouse/same sex spousal equivalent, adult children age 20 and older, parents and parents-in-law, and grandparents and grandparents-in-law. Coverage purchased during the special enrollment period will become effective October 1, 2004.

"Long-term care insurance is a smart choice no matter what your age or where you are in life," Green said. "Four out of every 10 people who require long-term care are under age 65. An accident or illness can instantly create the need for weeks or months of continual medical or personal care service. Having long-term care insurance offers security in knowing that you and your family are prepared for the unexpected."

Representatives from Duke Benefits and Aetna Inc. will be available at information tables and sessions during the special enrollment period to answer questions and assist with the enrollment process (see sidebar for schedule). Faculty and staff may also visit www.aetna.com/group/duke or call 1-800-287-9145, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. EST, for more information about the special enrollment period or to obtain an enrollment package. For more information about the plan, please visit Long Term Care.

If you currently have long-term care with C.N.A. and would like to convert to the Aetna Plan, please review the additional information posted on this site.

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