Making WA's long-term care program optional will create costs for state
If voters pass Initiative 2124 to make Washington’s long-term care benefit voluntary, it could cost the state millions of dollars to deal with a large-scale exodus of people from the program.
How many millions depends on how many workers abandon WA Cares and how quickly they go, according to a fiscal impact statement that will appear in the voter’s guide for the Nov. 5 election.
Estimates range from $12,623,250 to $31,215,960 in the course of the first three state fiscal years following passage, according to the analysis prepared by the Office of Financial Management. Those costs, mostly for adding staff at two state agencies to handle increased workload, would be covered from the program’s coffers
Most workers in Washington are now required to participate in the program, supporting it with a tax on their wages. The statement draws no conclusions on the financial viability of WA Cares, or whether it will survive if a large share of residents drop out.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/07/08/making-was-long-term-care-program-optional-will-create-costs-for-state/