OLYMPIA - This July, workers begin contributing to the WA Cares Fund, a new program that will give working Washingtonians affordable access to long-term care coverage. Workers will contribute 0.58% of each paycheck during their working years to access a $36,500 lifetime benefit, adjusted annually for inflation, when they need long-term care.
While WA Cares benefits can be used to pay for care in a residential setting like a nursing home, they can also cover services and supports to help you stay at home — things like training and paying a family caregiver, paying a professional in-home caregiver, home safety modifications, home-delivered meals, transportation and assistive technology like medication reminder devices.
To learn more about long-term care and the WA Cares Fund, join us for a webinar on WA Cares Basics: What Workers Need to Know from 12–1 p.m on Wednesday, Jan. 18.
The webinar will cover:
· What long-term care includes.
· How caregiving responsibilities impact families and the workplace.
· How the WA Cares Fund can help.
· Who contributes to the fund.
· How exemptions work.
· How workers will meet contribution requirements, including a pathway for near retirees.
· What kinds of benefits will be available.
There will also be an opportunity for audience Q&A. Live captioning and ASL interpretation will be available.
To register, visit: https://dshs-wa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ast9pfjmTPSswZ5DLsOoKw After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Learn more about WA Cares webinars or sign up for the WA Cares mailing list to get upcoming event announcements in your email inbox.