October 2025 Monthly Newsletter

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To make sure you are getting additional content that matters most to you, please update your preferences. Choose from additional updates related to webinars, new resources, provider information, LTSS Trust Commission meetings, rulemaking sessions, local in-person presentations and more!

Webinars

WA Cares Basics: What Workers Need to Know from 11 a.m.- noon on Oct. 8.

Most Washingtonians will eventually need long-term care. These services and supports can be expensive, but most long-term care is not covered by Medicare or health insurance and Medicaid typically only covers it after you’ve spent your life savings down to $2,000.

WA Cares Fund provides working Washingtonians a way to earn access to long-term care benefits that will be available when they need them. It could cover most of the need for some people, while for others it will provide breathing room during one of life’s most challenging stages, giving the family time to develop a plan.

We will cover:

• How the program works
• What long-term care includes
• How caregiving responsibilities impact families
• Who contributes to the fund
• How exemptions work
• How to qualify for benefits
  

Register today.

This will include an opportunity for audience Q&A and include live captioning. Simultaneous translations in ASL, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian will be available.

Spotlight on Paid Family Caregiving with WA Cares from 11 – noon on Oct. 23.

More than 800,000 Washingtonians provide care to a loved one. Many of us provide care out of both necessity and love, and do so without thinking twice. Whether you’re picking up groceries for your neighbor or helping your dad manage his medications—you are a caregiver. 

If the person you're caring for has earned WA Cares Fund benefits, you can become their paid caregiver, even if you're caring for your own spouse. 

We will cover:

• How the program works 
• Who is eligible for paid family caregiving 
• How WA Cares can help with care needs 
• Steps to becoming a paid family caregiver 
• Additional support and services available 
• Resources for caregivers 

Register here

This webinar will include an opportunity for audience Q&A and include live captioning. Simultaneous translations in ASL, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, Spanish and Russian will be available for webinars that are given in English. 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.

Monthly FAQ: When do provider applications open? 

WA Cares Fund provider applications opened on Oct. 1.

The WA Cares Fund will register qualified providers to offer covered long-term services and supports to eligible beneficiaries. Applications are now open and providers will be able to offer services starting in July 2026.

Learn more.

If you are an interested provider, please update your e-mail preferences to include ‘provider information’ so you can receive the most up-to-date provider information directly to your inbox.  

Rulemaking

• WA Cares finalized rules for a new chapter of Washington Administrative Code (WAC), chapter 388-116 WAC. The rules address general provisions, including definitions of approved services, beneficiary eligibility determinations, and requirements to provide approved services. The adopted rules will go into effect on Sept. 22.
• WA Cares filed proposed rules under WSR 25-16-096 to address payments and reimbursements for approved services, notices of department determinations, and administrative hearings for beneficiaries and providers. A public hearing was held on Sept. 9. The CR-103P was filed with the Office of the Code Reviser on September 25. Rules will go into effect on October 27.  
• WA Cares filed a notice for proposed rulemaking under WSR 25-16-078 to address the WA Cares Fund pilot beginning in January 2026. A public hearing is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Nov. 4. 

Reach out to Arielle Finney for additional information about rulemaking activity.  

If you are interested in rulemaking please update your preferences to include “DSHS rulemaking” so you can receive the most up-to-date rulemaking information directly to your inbox.  

LTSS Trust Commission

The Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Commission, which works on behalf of Washington employees and long-term care stakeholders to improve, monitor and implement WA Cares, will hold a Commission meeting from 1-4 p.m. on Oct. 29. Find meeting details and learn more about the   Commission.  

Request a speaker

Interested in an in-person or virtual presentation on WA Cares for your staff, HR professionals, managers, professional/community organization, or other group in 2025? Fill out our speaker request form and we will get back to you with our staff’s availability.