·         A daily benefit that reflects the cost of managed care facilities in your area.  This can be anywhere for $150 per day to $300 per day.

·         An elimination period (the deductible you need to pay before the policy benefits activate) of 60 days or less

·         An inflation option that will take into account the rising costs of long-term care

·         Home health coverage-this is care that is provided in shorter periods  while one recovers from an accident or an illness at home

·         That the benefits offered in the policy do not exclude a pre-existing condition

·         Also, many employer-offered policies may be cheaper than individual plans, but they tend to have longer elimination periods, a  limited benefits period, poor inflation protection and no spousal discounts