Long term care, such as home care and nursing homes, can be costly. Many people struggle to pay for the services they or their loved ones may need in what is often their last years of life. One option is long term care insurance. These policies provide valuable coverage for home care, nursing home care, assisted living facilities, respite and, when necessary, hospice. However, the long term care insurance market is faced with many challenges. It can be difficult for people to access long term care insurance policies that meet their needs at a rate they can afford. Furthermore, the high cost of providing long term care coverage to beneficiaries can be difficult for insurers to predict. The purpose of this hearing is to examine the affordability and accessibility of long term care insurance products and the impact that trends in the long term care insurance market have on consumers and beneficiaries.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form by December 17, 2012. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to ten minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize this hearing, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

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Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on the affordability and accessibility of long term care insurance are requested to complete this reply form and mail, email, or fax it by December 17, 2012 to: