The principal
areas of regulatory concern are benefit levels, policy restrictions
and exclusions, loss ratios, and policy renew ability. Current
long- term care insurance policies have many limits on who and
what will be covered by the policies. To protect consumers from
buying policies with little or no value, some states have tried
to set minimum benefits or to prohibit certain restrictions.
Opposing such requirements, insurers argue that they need those
restrictions to manage risk, control use of services, and reduce
premiums. Accordingly, the NAIC model act discourages mandated
benefits, allows companies to exclude specific diseases and
preexisting conditions as defined in the model act, and allows
prior institutionalization requirements with minor limitations.