(The Center Square) – State Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, is sponsoring a pair of bills in the upcoming legislative session to reopen a limited opt-out period for WA Cares , Washington’s long-term care insurance program, and let individuals who have paid into the program transfer benefits to a spouse.
The bills are co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax.
“Both of these bills are a recognition that this program, based on the failure of the initiative, is going to be a permanent program, but there are still flaws in the program,” Abbarno told The Center Square Monday, referring to the November failure of Initiative 2124, which would have made WA Cares optional.
WA Cares deducts 58 cents per $100 earned for every Washington worker to fund a limited lifetime benefit – up to $36,000 – for long-term care costs.
Before the program launched in July 2023, workers had a limited window to provide proof of a private long-term care plan and opt out of the mandatory payroll tax.
“There were about a half million Washingtonians who did get a chance to opt out and many more who were either confused and didn’t have all the information and didn’t opt out, or didn’t get out because insurance companies at that point couldn’t process claims fast enough and they shut that process down,” Abbarno explained.