It’s frustrating to see the focus on what’s not perfect about the new worker benefit, WA Cares, instead of helping folks understand the giant difference this program is going to make for thousands of people in Clark County and across the state (“Other Papers Say: WA Cares still needs repairs,” The Columbian, May 15). Facts are facts: If we are lucky to live long enough, we’ll either need care, or we’ll be the ones who step in and care for a loved one when they need help, due to a stroke, disease, accident or just the normal challenges that happen with aging.
Unless you are very wealthy, or are willing to drain your assets to zero to qualify for Medicaid, you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Neither health insurance nor Medicare cover long-term care expenses like home care aides, home modifications and medical equipment, or pay a family member to be your caregiver. But WA Cares funds will.
I recently lost my mother, who experienced a debilitating stroke at the age of 63. I can assure you that $36,500 would have made a huge difference as we faced the immense physical, emotional and financial stresses that come with the need for home care.
