Opponents of the state’s long-term care insurance program approved by the Legislature in 2019 managed to get an initiative on November’s ballot that challenged the program’s mandatory participation. But voters decided to keep it as is. About 55 percent rejected Initiative 2124, which would have made the program voluntary.
The Times editorial board long has argued the misnamed insurance program needs some tinkering. Over the years, state officials made some improvements, including making it portable for those who move out of state after becoming eligible for benefits. The program pays out about $36,000 and will be adjusted for inflation.
But the program still has flaws. The Editorial Board urged voters to vote for I-2124. Even Rep. Nicole Macri, D-Seattle, and Justin Gill, president of the Washington State Nurses Association, who were against the initiative, acknowledged in a Times op-ed that there was room for improvement.
Now, two lawmakers have proposals to do that. Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, along with Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, have pre-filed bills for the 2025 legislative session.
House Bill 1025 would reopen the window to opt out of WA Cares. Employees who purchase their own private long-term care insurance before November 2027 would be exempt from enrolling in WA Cares. House Bill 1026, meanwhile, would allow employees to transfer their WA Cares benefits to a spouse who is in need of long-term care.
Both bills move the program forward and should get serious consideration from the Democratic-led Legislature.
It is not unusual for one spouse not to be employed outside of the home but support the other spouse. Caring for a spouse can be expensive and sharing an asset such as health care insurance benefits families and the economy.
Since the original window to opt out of WA Cares was relatively short, granting employees one last chance to seek an alternative should not dissolve the program. Any new opt-out period should also allow those who previously opted out the option to opt back in.
“This (HB 1025) will create that one opt-out year. One of the problems with the initial opt-out period is that it sneaked up on a lot of people,” Abbarno said. “It’s a longer landing path so it allows for Washington workers to be able to prepare for this last opt-out period and for everyone to adjust and be prepared for it.”
The bill to create WA Cares was a rush job, and lawmakers agreed to delay the start of the program a year to fix problems. Yet, lawmakers ignored this responsibility even as its implementation date neared. Now, they have another chance to give WA Cares the reconstructive surgery it deserves.
Voters decided in November that they want to keep the program mandatory as a way to ensure its solvency. Lawmakers owe it to their constituents to make it the best insurance program it can be.