NFL union rejects long-term care proposal for players

The National Football League Players Association, the union representing NFL players, rejected a proposal for long-term care insurance because the policy's pre-existing conditions clause would exclude too many players.

Union officials have said the supplemental policy, underwritten by TransAmerica, would likely not cover former players between the ages of 50 and 75 because of pre-existing conditions acquired while playing football. Union members say former players often have health problems such as arthritis, concussion-related mental health issues, brain trauma and heart problems. Men in that age group are also more vulnerable to heart disease and prostate cancer, The Associated Press reported.

Other league members are disappointed by the union's stance, arguing that the policy would cover 80% or more of the eligible players.

League members who approve of the policy insist that non-qualified members have alternatives to the plan, such as The 88 Plan, which is funded by the league and the union to help players that have cognitive disorders such as dementia and ALS, according to the AP.