https://www.sequimgazette.com/opinion/guest-opinion-time-to-replace-states-long-term-care-law/

The purpose of the Washington Cares Fund is to postpone for 1 year of Medicaid Benefits for those who need caregiving.

Summary of What the Influencers are not explaining: (Caregiving is an economic issue, and the solutions are not simple to solve)

a. Before the law was enacted, why wasn’t the draft law reviewed by knowledgeable people to determine if constitutional issues could be challenged? If it was reviewed, why weren’t the obvious problems resolved before the law was enacted?

Must Read: CAREGIVING FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHEN YOU LIVE IN DIFFERENT AREAS

b. The lobbyists who represented the insurance carriers did not advocate that Washington State allow for 1-year short-term care benefits. This would have been a better approach for people who wanted to opt out of the mandatory law to have the same or better benefits for less money than the Washington Cares Fund.

c. Influencers write that LTC benefits are expensive; however, they don’t complete the thought. Compared to what? Real Estate values have risen, as have food, lumber prices, gasoline, car prices, and other durable items. People continue to purchase food, real estate, and other durable items. Long Term Care Insurance owned by people or offered by companies is about paying for care so that funds needed for lifestyle are not disrupted.

Long-term care benefits are about paying for home or care center expenses. It is less expensive to pay premiums to own a plan than to use assets and cash flow to pay for care expenses.

d. State or Federal government changes with tax incentives for personal or business-sponsored long-term care benefits with tax deductions for personal or business expenses.