New York state may promote LTCI awareness

New York state lawmakers have given their blessing to two efforts to help residents deal with chronic health problems and terminal illness.

One would let the state health department work with the state aging office and the state tax department to conduct a public awareness program on the availability of long-term care insurance (LTCI) plans.

The other would let life insurers make use of hospice services or other end-of-life care services a trigger for access to accelerated life insurance death benefits. New York already lets life insurers make use of nursing home services a trigger for accelerated death benefits.