Abbarno renews efforts to modify Washington's long-term care program ahead of session

Dec. 13—Months after Washington voters rejected an initiative that would have amended the state's long-term care program to allow additional employees to opt out, state Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, has renewed efforts to modify the program.

Joined by Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, Abbarno prefiled legislation that would allow spouses to share the program's benefits and reopen the opt-out exemption for those with private long-term care insurance.

"The long-term care payroll tax program has placed an unnecessary financial burden on workers and families across Washington state," Abbarno said in a statement Tuesday. "These bills are practical solutions that restore fairness, flexibility and relief to families left struggling under this deeply flawed system."

Under WA Cares, .58% of paychecks are deducted to fund nursing care and other services associated with aging. The tax costs about $290 annually for those who make $50,000 a year.

Originally passed by the Legislature in 2019, the program will provide a $36,500 benefit to residents, adjusted for inflation.

In the general election, Initiative 2124, which would have required employees to opt into the program, failed with only 44.5% support. The proposal found much greater support in Lewis County, with 55.8% of voters supporting the idea.

Abbarno has signed on to multiple failed attempts to repeal the program and has repeatedly spoken out against the tax, though proposals in 2022 and 2023 didn't advance out of committee. After a proposal failed to receive a hearing in 2022, an attempt by Abbarno to bring the bill to the House floor for consideration failed.

Ahead of the 2024 legislative session, Abbarno said lawmakers "really need to hit the reset button.

"We recognize long-term care is important, but that program is not the answer," Abbarno said on a tour of Chehalis West Assisted Living late last year.

If passed, House Bill 1025 would allow workers who purchase private long-term care insurance before November 2027 to opt out of the program, after the initial opt out window closed in 2022.

"The rushed and confusing rollout of the opt-out process left workers behind," Abbarno said. "An unnecessarily narrow timeline punished families who acted responsibly to plan for their long-term care needs. By reopening the exemption, we're giving them another opportunity to make the right choice for their needs instead of being forced into an inadequate, one-size-fits-all program."

House Bill 1026, meanwhile, would allow workers to transfer the benefits of the program to a spouse who needs care, something not allowed under the program.

"The rushed and confusing rollout of the opt-out process left workers behind," Abbarno, who will serve as House Republican Caucus Chair, said. "An unnecessarily narrow timeline punished families who acted responsibly to plan for their long-term care needs. By reopening the exemption, we're giving them another opportunity to make the right choice for their needs instead of being forced into an inadequate, one-size-fits-all program."

The 2025 legislative session will begin on Jan. 13 and run for 105 days.

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