The forum started simply as a focus group of those interested in long term care at the annual meeting of a major information vendor to the insurance industry. Further sponsored by major reinsurers and other vendors, by 1994 the group had its own meeting agenda and separate guest speakers.

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As the industry and group grew, leaders within the group recognized the need to split off and incorporated as the Long Term Care International Forum on April 11th, 2000 as a not-for-profit trade association. Further growth was realized in November 2005 when LTCIF merged with National Long Term Care Association, another industry association dedicated to advancing the LTC insurance.