March 6, 2025

The Washington Cares Fund is a long-term care insurance program operated by the state of Washington. According to the WA Cares Fund website (accessed March 6, 2025), “All working Washingtonians contribute a small percentage of their income into the fund. Then when you need care, you can access your earned benefit of $36,500 (adjusted up to inflation) to pay for services.”

According to the Washington State Standard (“Initiative to roll back Washington’s long-term care program fails,” Nov. 5, 2024), “The program applies a 0.58% tax on the paychecks of workers in Washington. Beginning in July 2026, those who qualify can begin accessing the program’s benefit, a lifetime amount of $36,500 — a sum that is set to rise in future years to account for inflation. The benefit can be used toward expenses like caretaking, equipment, medication and meals.”

WA Cares Fund benefits are also portable, thanks to a law signed by WA Governor Jay Inslee in March of 2024. According to the Washington State Governor’s Office (“Washington’s first-in-the-nation long-term care benefit is now portable,” May 16, 2024):

“Beginning in July 2026, Washington workers can continue to participate in the WA Cares Fund if they move out of state. Workers who paid in for at least three years of 500 hours worked may opt into out-of-state coverage within a year of leaving.

“Like in-state workers, out-of-state participants will keep contributing to the fund during their working years. Benefits will become available to out-of-state participants who need care starting in July 2030.”

More information about the WA Cares Fund can be found at the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner and at the WA Cares Fund website.

World Health Systems Facts is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. We provide reliable statistics and other data from authoritative sources regarding health systems and policies in the US and sixteen other OECD member nations.

Page last updated March 6, 2025 by Doug McVay, Editor.