Help protect long-term care insurance for millions of Washington residents
WSNA recently endorsed the “NO on Initiative 2124” campaign for the 2024 General Election in November. Today, Washingtonians have an affordable, guaranteed benefit to help cover the cost of long-term care called the WA Cares Fund. We support this benefit that funds home care aid to stay in place, family member’s time caretaking, equipment and home modifications, and residential care.
In 2019, Washington state passed the WA Cares Fund, a public long-term insurance program to help residents continue living independently at home as they age.
The fund is financed through a 0.58 percent payroll tax that began in July 2023; that’s about $300 a year for someone making $52,000 annually. (Those who are self-employed can opt in.)
Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible workers can tap the fund to pay for some 40 different services — a maximum benefit of $36,500, adjusted for inflation.
Revisions to the law now allow near retirees to access the fund, even if they work part-time. Washingtonians who have paid into the program can keep their benefits even if they move out of state for work, family, or retirement.
Initiative 2124, however, would make participation in the Washington Cares program voluntary, effectively killing it.
Under I-2124, Washingtonians with pre-existing conditions like cancer or diabetes (about half of us) will lose access to the only long-term care benefit available to them—because private insurance companies won’t cover them.
I-2124 will allow big long term care insurance companies to get even richer off aging, sick, or injured Washingtonians.
With Washington’s long term care plan, once you retire, you no longer must pay in to receive your benefits. But if I-2124 passes, a 65-year-old retired couple would, on average, need to pay $5,000 to $7,000 a year to keep access to their long- term care benefit with a private insurance company.
Please, act by clicking the link below by adding your name to the list of health care professionals endorsing "NO on I-2124."