WA Cares pays for long-term care at home

3 generations of supported by WA Cares sit on a couch in <a href=their living room. They smile and look at the camera. In the center is a mixed race male-presenting person aged approximately 50. He is smiling and holding a bowl of popcorn. To his right is a child aged around 4, wearing a pink shirt. They are surrounded by four mixed-race family members, 3 female-presenting and one male-presenting." width="2560" height="1707" />

When we’re sick, aging, or seriously injured…whether we have a pre-existing condition or not…WA Cares is there for working Washingtonians.

What would you do if you were suddenly injured or sick? How would you stay at home with rising health care costs? Afford the equipment or home modifications necessary? Take time off work to heal? Find someone to cook your meals or run your errands?

WA Cares is an affordable long-term care benefit that gives Washingtonians what we need to get care at home.

Millions of people in Washington can’t get the home care we need. We are often denied for pre-existing conditions. Many times, we can’t afford the ballooning costs of private insurance. Sometimes we are not eligible due to a pre-existing condition. Thousands of others across the state lose their jobs and savings taking care of loved ones when they’re ill.

We all want to make sure our loved ones get the care they need without sacrificing jobs or savings. Luckily, WA Cares makes it possible for working Washingtonians to get the long-term care we need. No matter our age or if we have a pre-existing condition, we are eligible to earn WA Cares benefits.

A light skinned female-presenting person in her 50s sits in a wheelchair in her house, looking at the camera and smiling. She has black hair and is wearing a white shirt. She is holding hands with a home care aide who sits across from her on her couch. The female-presenting health care aide is in her thirties with black hair in a pony tail. She is wearing sleeveless blue scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck. She is looking at the camera and smiling.

WA Cares Will Support People With Accessible and Affordable Long-Term Care

Hear From Vicki About WA Cares, Aging And Long-Term Care

A white woman named Vicki, an advocate for WA Cares, looks with resolve at the camera. She is in her 60s. She has short brown hair and a red shirt. She is standing in her backyard, with stairs up to her porch behind her.

Near retiree Vicki will be able to use WA Cares benefits for home modifications for her arthritis.

Hear From Anthony About WA Cares Lupus Support For Pre-Existing Conditions

A Black man named Anthony, an advocate for WA Cares, smiles at the camera. He is wearing a black polo shirt and a jean apron. He is standing in a kitchen with modern appliances and flowers behind him.

People with pre-existing conditions like Anthony will be covered by WA Cares.

Hear From Dani About WA Cares Paralysis Support

A young family of three sits and plays on their floor. Dani, an advocate for WA Cares, sits on the floor with her legs folded. She is white <a href=skin and has long curly brown hair and a pink shirt, and is smiling. She is holding her son in her lap, who in sitting on the floor with his legs out straight. He is a white boy aged around 6. To the left is Dani" width="1024" height="683" />

WA Cares provides options to families like Dani’s when they face the unexpected.

Calculate Your WA Cares Benefits And Contribution Amount

Find out how WA Cares stacks up against private insurance or Medicaid for long-term care. With WA Cares, we contribute only when we’re working, and are vested after contributing for 10 years. Even if we’re working part-time (as little as 10 hrs/week on average).

Our benefit is available whenever we need it, and grows with inflation. Calculate your contribution and benefit amounts using the WA Cares Benefit Calculator below:

Learn More About WA Cares

70% of us will wind up needing long-term care – things like help with meals, chores, and daily tasks – at some point in our lives. Thanks to the WA Cares Act, working Washingtonians will now have access to money to pay for home care and other long-term care.