Long-Term Care

Long-term care (LTC) insurance helps pay for care that your health plan and Medicare are not designed to cover, such as community-based care, home health care and hospice care, among others. This program was developed in partnership with and is underwritten by John Hancock Life Insurance Co.

You have a 90-day waiting period before you receive benefits after you are certified as needing care. The long-term care plan has no set rate (the amount of your premium depends on your age) and your premiums are paid directly to John Hancock. For more information, visit the ERS Long-Term Care Web page.

During your first 90 days of employment, you can sign up for LTC insurance with guaranteed acceptance. The rules about who qualifies are different from other insurance plans in the Texas Employees Group Benefits Program. For more information, contact John Hancock.

You can apply for long-term care at any time, but you will have to submit an evidence of insurability (EOI) application with John Hancock if you apply after your first 90 days on the job.

Family members may also apply for LTC insurance, even if you are not enrolled. Those eligible are:

• Spouses (18 or older)
• Parents and parents-in-law
• Grandparents

Your children are not eligible. Family members must complete an EOI and live in the United States when the coverage begins.