The elimination period is the number of days of care (provided at home and/or in a nursing home, depending on the policy) that someone has to pay for out of pocket before benefits begin. Generally, the longer the elimination period (e.g., 90 days versus 30 days), the lower the premium for a specific amount of LTC coverage. Be sure to "read the fine print" in a policy to determine when the elimination period actually begins and what qualifies. (For example, a policy may or may not count time spent in a hospital as part of the elimination period.)
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