SEATTLE — Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday celebrated the changes lawmakers made to the state’s new long-term care insurance program.
Earlier this year, lawmakers passed a bill allowing residents to take their WA Cares savings with them if they leave the state, a longtime criticism of the original legislation.
“Our legislators made it portable, it's great to know you can take it with you wherever you go,” Inslee said at a media availability in Seattle's Rainier Beach neighborhood. “So I think this is something we're celebrating the state of Washington. I want to thank everybody who has pitched in to help Washington become an even better society as it is.”
WA Cares now gives retirees access to the $36,500 benefit even if they move out of state. It also allows those who move out of state to continue participating in the long-term program if they continue paying into it.
Under the Long Term Care Act, eligible workers will pay 0.58% of their paychecks to fund the program. Several categories of workers who are unlikely to pull from the fund are eligible to receive exemptions; information can be found here.
The WA Cares Fund will eventually be used to help Washingtonians access a $36,500 benefit - adjusted annually for inflation - for long-term care insurance. Benefits will become available for qualified individuals in July 2026.
“The fact of the matter is almost 70% of the Washingtonians at some point in their lives are going to need some help when we get hurt or sick or have long-term health care needs,” said Inslee. “Almost 40% of the people who need this kind of care are under the age of 65. Everybody can benefit from this plan.”
Voters this fall will have the opportunity to make it an option to opt out of paying into the WA Cares Fund, a move opponents say would effectively repeal the program.
Initiative 2124 would allow people to opt out of WA Cares, according to Let's Go Washington, the conservative group that organized the effort. Opponents of WA Cares argue the program is too expensive and that workers should have the right to choose whether or not to participate in the program.