1. (a) The Indiana long term care program is established to do the following:

   1. (1) Provide incentives for individuals to insure against the costs of providing for their long term care needs.
   2. (2) Provide a mechanism for individuals to qualify for coverage of the costs of their long term care needs under the Medicaid program without first being required to substantially exhaust all their resources.
   3. (3) Assist in developing methods for increasing access to and the affordability of a long term care policy.
   4. (4) Provide counseling services to individuals in planning for their long term care needs.
   5. (5) Alleviate the financial burden on the state's medical assistance program by encouraging the pursuit of private initiatives.
2. (b) The office of Medicaid policy and planning and the department of insurance shall administer the program. The department of insurance may contract with a local office of aging services, an area agency on aging, or other nonprofit organization to provide counseling services under the program. The department of insurance shall develop and coordinate a plan to provide counseling services under the program.

As added by P.L.24-1997, SEC.53.