The WA Cares Fund Is Good For Working Washingtonians

A group of contstruction workers, all eliglbe for WA Cares benefits, stand and smile at the camera. They are of various identities, presentations, and ages.

“We never thought we’d need WA Cares. We were wrong.”
-Dani, Asotin, WA

Most Washingtonians Will Need Long-Term Care At Some Point In Our Lives. The WA Cares Fund Will Be There For Us.

Whether it’s age or something unexpected, 70% of us will need help with daily living at some point in our lives [source]. When that happens, where would you want to be while healing? 77% of us want to stay at home and get help from a family member or home care aide [source]. Before the WA Cares Fund, that kind of care cost too much for the working Washingtonian. For many of us, we could only afford long-term care by draining our savings and assets. Or we get rejected by private insurance for pre-existing conditions or age.

According to the Federal Reserve, the median American savings is less than $5,300 [source]. Most people don’t have sufficient savings to pay out of pocket for care or for expensive private long-term care insurance policies. WA Cares is there when working Washingtonians need it.

That’s where WA Cares comes in. The WA Cares Fund supports working Washingtonians. It provides affordable long-term insurance so we can get the care we need. Without impacting our finances or employment.

This new state-directed fund covers up to $36,500 (+ more, growing with inflation) of our long-term care costs. That means no more draining our savings or missing work to take care of a loved one. No more ballooning private insurance costs. And no denials for pre-existing conditions. The WA Cares Fund will pay our family members, or a home health aide, to take care of our daily tasks when we’re ill. No matter what.

Three friends in their 30s sit on a bench outside and talk. On the left is a Black male-presenting person with short black hair with blond highlights. He is sitting in a wheelchair, holding a pink beverage in his left hand and gesturing with his right. In the middle is a white female-presenting person with long brown hair, her hands folded in her lap. On the right is a light-skinned female-presenting person with a head scarf and glasses. She is holding a coffee in her left hand and has white nail polish. They are smiling and looking at the man who is talking.

“If my mother had that $36,500, she could have spent the last year of her life in her own home where she wanted to be.
I’m glad I’ll be able to tap into my WA Cares benefits to pay for a wheelchair ramp and someone to help with meals when I need it.”
-Jay, North Bend

The WA Care Fund Benefits Washington Communities

WA Cares Fund Is There For 630,000 Washingtonians Nearing Retirement

WA Cares benefits are available to all workers who pay into the WA Cares fund, even those near retirement. WA Cares benefits scale with the amount of time worked. About 630,250 WA workers are 55-64 and could retire soon [source]. By staying in the workforce for just three years, we will have access to WA Cares Fund benefits.

WA Cares Fund Is There For 870,000 Part-Time Workers in Washington

Part-time workers of any age can work 10 hours/week on average and still qualify for WA Cares Fund benefits. Approximately 870,415 Washingtonians currently work part-time (34 hours or less per week) [source].

WA Cares Fund Is There For 1.8 Million BIPOC Washington Workers

WA Cares Fund benefits increase access to long-term care for women and Black, Indigenous and people of color. These Washingtonians are disproportionately affected by the long-term care crisis. You can hear some of their stories about WA Cares benefits here.

Most of the time, women or people of color take on the role of family caregiver. Accessing long-term care is harder for women and BIPOC-led households. Historical barriers to access building savings and retirement balances means less of a safety need when we need it most. More than 1.8 million Washington workers are Black, Indigenous, or people of color [source].

WA Cares Fund Is There For 3.8 Million Washington Women

WA Cares Fund benefits increase access to long-term care for female-identified Washington residents. The majority of people who give up their careers to care for their loved ones are women. Plus, corporate long-term care insurance companies often double the cost of insurance for women. The WA Cares Fund means more women can remain in their careers and still have the peace of mind that their loved one is receiving the care they need. You can hear stories about how WA Cares benefits are supporting women here.

WA Cares Fund Is There For 208,000 Gig & Freelance Workers In Washington

Contractors, freelancers and gig workers can also take part in WA Cares. We pay a small amount (just $0.58 for each $100 earned, pre-tax) each year to qualify. About 208,386 workers in Washington are currently independent contractors [source].

WA Cares Fund Is There For Washington’s Injured Workers

Thousands of Washington workers leave the workforce each year due to illness or injury. But labor and industry benefits do not cover long-term care. WA Cares benefits help injured Washingtonians after a disabling event, even if we get hurt on the job. All Washington workers are eligible for emergency WA Cares benefits after contributing for just 3 years.

A white woman named Vicki smiles at the camera in a green park. She is in her 60s, with short brown hair. She is wearing a purple fleece that says "We Rise" over a red shirt. Her arms are folded.

“I’ve always been a caregiver. First as a single mom raising three boys. Then as a home care aide to people with cancer, Alzheimers, and disabilities.
Now I’m getting close to retirement.
I have aggressive arthritis, and even walking up stairs is tough. Someday I’ll need help with daily tasks, like grocery shopping, bathing, and moving around the house.
WA Cares can pay a home care aide to help me, replace my stairs with a ramp, and more – up to $36,500.”
-Vicki, Vancouver, WA

WA Cares Fund Is There For 860,000 Unpaid Caregivers

One in four workers has left the workforce to take care of a loved one [source]. More than half of these unpaid caregivers have been caring for someone for at least 2 years.

It’s difficult for families to make ends meet when they work as unpaid caregivers. It also takes labor and money out of the economy. WA Cares Fund benefits will enable us to pay our family members for their time caring for us. Or it gives us the choice to hire help so our family members don’t have to leave their jobs. An estimated 860,000 unpaid family caregivers provide aid to loved ones in Washington [source].

WA Cares Fund Is There For Working Washingtonians

Today, the median American savings account contains less than $5,300 [source]. Before WA Cares, most of us would have had to take drastic measures to get by. Things like using our retirement funds, or signing over our homes to qualify for long-term care through Medicaid. Now, WA Cares Fund benefits take effect when we need them, with no uncertainty.

Learn More About The WA Cares Fund

Hear From Washington Caregivers Like Kathy, And How WA Cares Is Helping Her

WA Cares ensures that Washington caregivers are paid when they take care of their loved ones. Learn how Washington caregivers like Kathy are benefiting.

A white woman named Kathy smiles at the camera in her house. She is in her 70s with long grey hair in a pony tail, and sitting on an electronic walker. Behind her is a lamp with a blue shade and a picture of red flowers.