December 2023 Monthly Newsletter

Featured Video: More than 800,000 Washingtonians provide care for a loved one. Many of us provide care for others out of both necessity and love and do so without thinking twice. Whether you’re picking up groceries for your neighbor or helping your dad manage his medications—you are a caregiver.

Watch our animated explainer video to learn more or visit our website.

Webinars:

Webinars: Join us on January 18th from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. for our WA Cares Basics: What Workers Need to know webinar. We will cover what long term care includes, how caregiving responsibilities impact families and the workplace, who contributes to the fund, how exemptions work, how workers will meet contribution requirements (including a pathway for near retirees) and more. Live captions and ASL interpretation will be available. Register today.

Watch the recording of our November WA Cares Basics: What Self-Employed Workers Need to Know webinar. If you’re self-employed, you can choose to elect coverage and protect yourself with the same affordable benefits available to other Washington workers. In the webinar, we covered eligibility, benefits, and how to elect coverage for self-employed workers.

Fund Fact: In 2023, 3.5 million Washington workers began earning WA Cares benefits they can use later in life for in-home care, home modifications, meal delivery, transportation and more.

The program’s launch on July 1 is just one of many accomplishments for WA Cares this year. Read our year in review to learn more about what we’ve been up to in 2023.

Monthly FAQ: What requirements will family caregivers have to meet to become paid caregivers through WA Cares?

When WA Cares benefits become available in July 2026, your loved one may be able to make you their paid caregiver. First, they must become eligible for WA Cares benefits. Once their application is approved, they will be able to choose you as their provider and pay you for the care you provide. The next step is for you to sign up as a provider through WA Cares. Family members can be paid through the Consumer Directed Employer, an organization that supports family members who wish to be paid by the state to provide personal care. A home care agency can also employ a family member as a certified home care aide. Paid family caregivers will need to participate in some training to ensure the health and safety of themselves and their loved one.

LTSS Trust Commission update: On Dec. 12, the LTSS Trust Commission held their final meeting for 2023. During the meeting, the Commission:

• Received a program update on the Medicaid savings waiver process and what next steps are anticipated to look like.
• Received a finance update from the Office of State Actuary, the Employment Security Department, and Milliman regarding the first quarterly report from employers.
• Voted on including two recommendations into the Commission Recommendations Report regarding non-immigrant work visas and civilian employment of service members.
• Approved the Commission Recommendations Report that is due to the legislature.
• Established a new workgroup to start in 2024 regarding provider payment maximums.

To find meeting materials and the recording, visit the Commission page on our website. The next Commission meeting with be held May 1, 2024 from 1 – 4 pm.