New law expands long-term care support

Today Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a new law expanding Washingtonians’ options for accessing long-term care support through the WA Cares Fund. The law creates opportunities for Washingtonians to purchase affordable supplemental long-term care coverage from private insurers in the future, allows workers who have a private insurance exemption to join the program and simplifies the ten-year contribution requirement to qualify for benefits.   

“These changes will allow more Washingtonians to access WA Cares benefits and pave the way for insurers to offer affordable options to workers who want additional coverage,” said WA Cares Director Ben Veghte. “For most Washington families, the high costs of long-term care for a loved one can be devastating. As our population ages, there’s a growing need for resources like WA Cares that make families more resilient when a loved one needs care.”