WA Long-Term Care Program
Get Ready For Washington’s New Long-Term Care Program
Advanced Professionals Insurance & Benefit Solutions wants to help make sure you are prepared to help your clients as questions continue to arise about the new Washington Long Term Care Act. We have vetted the top information sources to deliver the information you and your clients need to navigate this new law.
General Information – Compliance Snapshot
- Employers are not required to contribute to the Program. Employers are required to collect premiums from Washington employees and remit them to the Washington State Employment Security Department.
- Beginning January 1, 2022, employers are required to collect premiums through a payroll deduction equal to 0.58% of employees’ wages (with no cap).
- Employees can receive an exemption from paying premiums if they have long-term care insurance before November 1, 2021 and apply for an exemption from October 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022.
- Employers are not required to take payroll deductions from exempted employees after they are notified of the exemption.
- Oregon employers with Washington-based workers may also be required to collect and remit the payroll tax. Although rules are still being written, the tax applies to W-2 wage earners localized in Washington. Similarly, Washington employers with Oregon-based workers will be required to collect and remit the payroll tax for employees performing some services in Washington and who are directed from Washington.
Helpful Resources
General Information
- The Benefits Academy: Washington State’s Long Term Care Program
- Official Program Website: WA Cares Fund
- Office of the Insurance Commissioner: What qualifies as long‑term care insurance?
- Washington Long Term Care, LLC
- King County: WA Cares Fund FAQ
Flyers
- The Benefits Academy: BeneBrief on Long-Term Care – Employee FAQ
- WA Cares Fund: Benefits Overview
Helpful Articles
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) article
- GeekWire: Did you receive a ‘long-term care’ email from your employer? Here’s what it means to opt-in or opt-out
- Money: Will You Really Need Long-Term Care? The Odds Are Higher Than You Might Think