Washington Partnership LTC Insurance
Washington is a Long-Term Care Partnership state. Effective date: January 1, 2012.
Based on the passage of the federal Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005, Washington expanded its Medicaid program to allow for qualified WA Partnership LTC insurance policies purchased after the state's effective date to provide guaranteed Medicaid asset protection.
This means if you buy a Partnership-qualified LTC insurance policy in Washington, and after going on claim you use up the benefits in your policy, you are eligible to protect your assets from the Washington Medicaid spend-down equal to the total benefits paid by your WA Partnership LTC insurance - this is called an "asset disregard".
Partnership-protected assets are also NOT subject to Washington's Medicaid Estate Recovery program after you die.
CRITICAL UPDATE: The new, payroll tax-supported WA State Long Term Services and Supports Program created under the WA State LTC Trust Act does NOT provide any Medicaid Partnership asset protection. In order to opt-out of the mandatory payroll tax, Washington residents must purchase private LTC insurance BEFORE the Act's deadline which is now November 1, 2021!
Provide for your care ... and for your heirs with a WA Partnership LTC insurance plan.
The "partnership" is between you the consumer, Washington's Medicaid program, and a private insurance company authorized to sell Partnership-certified LTC insurance in WA. Not all insurance companies or insurance agents are certified to sell WA Partnership LTC insurance. Comfort LTC is fully WA Partnership LTC insurance certified and licensed.
For a policy to be a "qualified" WA Partnership LTC insurance policy it must meet the Tax-Qualified consumer protection requirements as spelled out by HIPAA in the Federal Tax Code, by the Washington Legislature and WA Department of Insurance.
Partnership LTC insurance is "comprehensive" meaning it covers care in your own home as well as facility care - nursing homes, assisted living and memory care. Most importantly, a WA Partnership LTC insurance policy must allow for policy benefits to automatically increase for inflation.
Inflation benefits are the key to Partnership qualification.
Here is how it works. Your age on the date you apply for coverage determines what type of automatic inflation benefit you must include if you want MO Partnership Medicaid asset protection:
A "future purchase option" or "guaranteed purchase option" inflation benefit generally does NOT qualify for Partnership. These plans require you to pay additional premium every year (or every three years) to continue to increase your benefits for inflation. Even if the "purchase options" are automatically added, they still do not qualify because you can reject the increases.
(UPDATE: A few newer pay-as-you-go inflation options now qualify for Partnership in Washington if they price the increases on your original issue age (most do not). Always work with a certified WA Partnership LTC insurance specialist who represents multiple companies and who will show you all of your options.)
Here's an example of how the benefits and Medicaid Partnership asset protection works.
A 60-year-old buys a Partnership-qualified LTC insurance policy with the following benefits:
There is no extra charge to have a Partnership policy. Think of it as "asset protection for free."
LTC insurance policy benefit options are the same price whether Partnership-qualified or not - there is no extra charge to make your policy Partnership-qualified. Like all LTC insurance, you must medically-qualify to be approved for coverage. Some on-going, progressive conditions are uninsurable. CLICK HERE to request a quote. We represent multiple companies, and our experience allows us to work with complex medical histories - even if you have been declined before.
"What if I move to another state?"
Forty-four states now have Partnership plans. Washington's Long-Term Care Partnership program reciprocates with all but one other state (CA). For example, Florida is a Partnership state that reciprocates like Washington. If you buy a WA LTC Partnership insurance LTC policy and then move to Florida, you will receive the same policy benefits AND Partnership asset protection from the state of Florida just like you would if you stayed in Washington. See the Partnership reciprocity map here.
The Washington Long-Term Care Partnership Program was effective for policies issued after January 1, 2012.
WARNING: Newer "linked-benefit" or "hybrid" LTC insurance benefits that are attached to a life insurance policy or an annuity do NOT ever qualify for Partnership asset protection in any state, even if the Hybrid LTC plan includes automatic inflation increases.
Based on the passage of the federal Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005, Washington expanded its Medicaid program to allow for qualified WA Partnership LTC insurance policies purchased after the state's effective date to provide guaranteed Medicaid asset protection.
This means if you buy a Partnership-qualified LTC insurance policy in Washington, and after going on claim you use up the benefits in your policy, you are eligible to protect your assets from the Washington Medicaid spend-down equal to the total benefits paid by your WA Partnership LTC insurance - this is called an "asset disregard".
Partnership-protected assets are also NOT subject to Washington's Medicaid Estate Recovery program after you die.
CRITICAL UPDATE: The new, payroll tax-supported WA State Long Term Services and Supports Program created under the WA State LTC Trust Act does NOT provide any Medicaid Partnership asset protection. In order to opt-out of the mandatory payroll tax, Washington residents must purchase private LTC insurance BEFORE the Act's deadline which is now November 1, 2021!
Provide for your care ... and for your heirs with a WA Partnership LTC insurance plan.
The "partnership" is between you the consumer, Washington's Medicaid program, and a private insurance company authorized to sell Partnership-certified LTC insurance in WA. Not all insurance companies or insurance agents are certified to sell WA Partnership LTC insurance. Comfort LTC is fully WA Partnership LTC insurance certified and licensed.
For a policy to be a "qualified" WA Partnership LTC insurance policy it must meet the Tax-Qualified consumer protection requirements as spelled out by HIPAA in the Federal Tax Code, by the Washington Legislature and WA Department of Insurance.
Partnership LTC insurance is "comprehensive" meaning it covers care in your own home as well as facility care - nursing homes, assisted living and memory care. Most importantly, a WA Partnership LTC insurance policy must allow for policy benefits to automatically increase for inflation.
Inflation benefits are the key to Partnership qualification.
Here is how it works. Your age on the date you apply for coverage determines what type of automatic inflation benefit you must include if you want MO Partnership Medicaid asset protection:
- 60 and under: You must have a built-in, automatic compound inflation option of at least 3%.
- 61–75: Any built-in automatic inflation option qualifies (compound or simple/"equal" increases).
- 76 and over: Automatic inflation is not required
- (Inflation increases that stop after 20 years - or age 76, whichever is later - can qualify for Partnership coverage.)
A "future purchase option" or "guaranteed purchase option" inflation benefit generally does NOT qualify for Partnership. These plans require you to pay additional premium every year (or every three years) to continue to increase your benefits for inflation. Even if the "purchase options" are automatically added, they still do not qualify because you can reject the increases.
(UPDATE: A few newer pay-as-you-go inflation options now qualify for Partnership in Washington if they price the increases on your original issue age (most do not). Always work with a certified WA Partnership LTC insurance specialist who represents multiple companies and who will show you all of your options.)
Here's an example of how the benefits and Medicaid Partnership asset protection works.
A 60-year-old buys a Partnership-qualified LTC insurance policy with the following benefits:
- $4,000 per month starting benefits
- 4-year benefit period which would provide a starting maximum benefit pool of $192,000
- 3% automatic compounding benefit increases
There is no extra charge to have a Partnership policy. Think of it as "asset protection for free."
LTC insurance policy benefit options are the same price whether Partnership-qualified or not - there is no extra charge to make your policy Partnership-qualified. Like all LTC insurance, you must medically-qualify to be approved for coverage. Some on-going, progressive conditions are uninsurable. CLICK HERE to request a quote. We represent multiple companies, and our experience allows us to work with complex medical histories - even if you have been declined before.
"What if I move to another state?"
Forty-four states now have Partnership plans. Washington's Long-Term Care Partnership program reciprocates with all but one other state (CA). For example, Florida is a Partnership state that reciprocates like Washington. If you buy a WA LTC Partnership insurance LTC policy and then move to Florida, you will receive the same policy benefits AND Partnership asset protection from the state of Florida just like you would if you stayed in Washington. See the Partnership reciprocity map here.
The Washington Long-Term Care Partnership Program was effective for policies issued after January 1, 2012.
WARNING: Newer "linked-benefit" or "hybrid" LTC insurance benefits that are attached to a life insurance policy or an annuity do NOT ever qualify for Partnership asset protection in any state, even if the Hybrid LTC plan includes automatic inflation increases.
UPDATED 4/22/2021
