WA State Passes State-Run LTC Insurance Plan

The state of Washington has passed the first of its kind government-run LTC insurance program for working residents of the state.

The plan will provide $100 per day of benefits which will increase with inflation for a maximum of 365 days (1-year).  Each day of benefits is considered a "unit" of coverage and units can be combined to pay for care services above $100/day, but that would also shorten the total benefit period.  The benefit can be used to pay family members to provide care after they have completed a minimum amount of mandatory training.

Every employee in the state will have a payroll tax withholding to pay for the plan.  The tax is 0.58%, or $0.58 for every $100 in payroll income.  A person earning $4,000 per month would pay $23.20 per month.

INFOGRAPHIC SUMMARY OF WA LTC PLAN

The plan does not cover people already retired or who will retire in the next 6 to 10 years.  It also is not portable if an employee leaves the state of Washington.

Payroll deductions will not begin for 3 years, and no benefits will be paid for at least 3 years after that as the plan requires that employees pay in for a minimum of 3 of the previous 6 years to be eligible.  To be fully "vested" in the plan an employee must pay in for at least 10 years.

"Self employed" people will not be automatically covered, but can opt-into the plan at the same payroll tax rate.

​Employees who have private LTC insurance can opt-out of the tax and coverage.

Read more details by clicking here:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/payroll-tax-funded-ltc-plan-revived-wa-state-bill-comfort/

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