AN ACT Relating to repealing the long-term care services and supports trust program;
HB 1578 repeals the long-term care services and supports trust program, commonly known as the WA Cares Fund, and makes conforming changes throughout state law. The bill removes or amends numerous RCW provisions governing the program’s definitions, administration, premium assessments, exemptions, benefits, appeals, reporting, confidentiality, and related trust-account investment rules. It also repeals sections of prior law that established the program’s structure and operation, and includes effective and expiration dates tied to the repeal and transition.
In addition to ending the trust program itself, the bill revises related provisions affecting long-term care workers and certain training requirements, including exemptions for family caregivers, spouses or domestic partners, and other narrowly defined individual providers. It also preserves or clarifies the status of some workers who are already credentialed in other health-care roles, and it updates references to the state treasurer’s trust-fund investment authority and the state actuary’s duties where they intersect with the program and other state responsibilities.
The bill would substantially change Washington law by eliminating the statutory framework for the long-term care services and supports trust program and removing associated premium collection, benefit administration, and oversight provisions. It would also repeal or amend multiple cross-references in the RCW that depend on the existence of the program, affecting the Department of Social and Health Services, the Health Care Authority, the Employment Security Department, the state treasurer, and the state actuary. Individuals and employers subject to WA Cares-related premiums, exemptions, or benefit eligibility rules would no longer be governed by the repealed program provisions, while certain long-term care worker training and certification rules would be adjusted to reflect the new legal landscape.
Based on the bill caption and the absence of recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided material, the available context suggests the bill is a repeal measure rather than a program-expansion bill, which typically indicates a more divided or contentious policy environment. The text itself is highly technical and focused on unwinding an existing statewide program, suggesting the debate likely centered on whether to preserve or terminate the long-term care trust program rather than on implementation details. Because no votes or hearing testimony are included, there is no documented consensus in the provided record, but the subject matter implies significant interest from workers, employers, older adults, and long-term care stakeholders.
The main point of contention is the repeal of the WA Cares long-term care trust program itself, which would affect how Washington finances future long-term care benefits and who is required to pay premiums. Likely opposing views include those who support repeal because of concerns about mandatory payroll deductions, benefit adequacy, portability, or administrative burden, versus those who favor retaining the program as a public long-term care financing mechanism. Secondary issues include the treatment of exempt caregivers and family members, the impact on long-term care workers’ training requirements, and the handling of trust-fund earnings and related state accounting provisions.