Bill Would Allow Tax-Exempt Long-Term Care Insurance Premium Payments

A bipartisan group of senators last Tuesday introduced a bill that would allow employees to pay long-term care insurance premiums with pre-tax dollars, CQ HealthBeat reports. Under the Long-Term Care Affordability and Security Act -- sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) -- employers could offer long-term care insurance under so-called cafeteria plans, which allow employees to select from a number of tax-exempt benefits, as well as flexible spending accounts.