New Options for Long Term Care and Some Proposals Coming Forth

[GailL1]

I found this to be very interesting.  Yes, all eyes have been on Washington State as their WashingtonCares plan starts to do some paying out - Washington Cares is the 1st state initiative for Long Term Care Insurance.

It also sounds like some in the Senate may also be working on some type of LTC plan.

KFF Health News - The New Old Age Article - 07/10/2026 - A New Option for Long-Term Care Costs 

What do you think of these new ideas in Long Term Care payments for those outside of the Medicaid area.

[WebWiseWoman]

Thanks, Gail, for bringing this to our attention!

It reads as a truly important initiative as life span and the population ages.

I would hesitate if not HIGHLY and STRICTLY regulated, because I can see the "jumping on the bandwagon" (e.g. bitcoin) which could be abusive...

But, again, truly important!

[GailL1]

The WA Cares plan, thus far, is very specific and defined -

• Who pays into it (employer /employee) 
• how much and for how long to get a defined benefit based on when they begin to use any of it.
• Defined benefit does give some latitude - used to pay for any sort of LTC or custodial care since needs and desires differ.  That seems fine to me since it has a top out - reach that level and it is gone.  So it can be used for some type of home care, assisted living or nursing home care if the need is great.

Dollar-wise it isn’t gonna be a solution but it will definitely help.  It won’t help those that are now older but I look forward to seeing how it continues in Washington state and in other states that may want to try it.

I cannot speak to what some US Senate members may have up their sleeve YET - since it has not yet been proposed -  

Let’s just not let legislators change this Wash. state plan to become an overly complicated program and they will if left to their own demise and the original founders leave their ranks  - I don’t think they can help it - it is part of their quest to keep their job.  

Good Luck - Washington Cares program - let’s keep it as a “KISS” program