The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program open season begins next Monday (July 1) and runs through December 31, offering federal employees, retirees, spouses and certain other family members the opportunity to enroll. For active employees and their spouses, the open season offers the advantage of having to undergo only “abbreviated” questioning about their health designed to determine whether they are now, or likely will be very soon, eligible to draw benefits from the program. If active employees and their spouses choose not to enroll during the open season they still may join the program later but will have to undergo more extensive underwriting; while there may be future open seasons, none has been scheduled or even definitely promised. Retirees and all other eligible persons have to undergo full underwriting regardless of whether they enroll during an open season or outside of one.