The Long Term Care program is underwritten by the Prudential Insurance Company of America. It is comprised of a broad range of services for persons of all ages who have lost their ability to function independently because of a physical or mental impairment.

Long-term care differs from other types of health care in that its goal is not to cure an illness, but to allow an individual to attain and maintain an optimal level of functioning. Services include personal care, home health care, rehabilitation, adult day care, care management, social services, assisted living, and nursing home services. Long term care services may be delivered on a regular basis or intermittent over a period of several months, years or a lifetime.

Eligibility is for regularly scheduled employees who work 35 or more hours per week and eligible relatives that include the spouse of each employee, adult children and stepchildren, parents, stepparents and parents-in-law, grandparents, step-grandparents and grandparents-in-law of the employee.

The premiums are deducted on an after-tax basis from the employees' paycheck. Employees are only permitted to authorize a payroll deduction for themselves and his/her spouse. All other enrolled individuals will be offered direct home billing arrangements.

Information and the rates for the basic plans are contained in Prudential's information/enrollment kit and on the Prudential web site through the Division of Pensions and Benefits, or you can call Prudential's Long Term Care Customer Service Center at 1-877-582-4865.