“Initiative 2124 asks voters to make WA Cares an opt-in, rather than mandatory, program”

“Initiative 2124 asks voters to make WA Cares an opt-in, rather than mandatory, program,” by Elizabeth Hovde, Washington Policy Center

“The controversy over WA Cares prompted many people to start thinking about long-term care. State lawmakers can engage in conversation about long-term-care planning without imposing a mandatory savings plan on workers for one life need. Lawmakers also should enact reforms that will create a healthy, price-competitive insurance market that benefits everyone. Ending taxes on insurance products is one specific thing lawmakers can do, making it more affordable to purchase private long-term-care insurance. Most of all, lawmakers should seek to limit Medicaid abuse. Medicaid is a safety net for people in need. It is not long-term-care insurance, and it shouldn’t be used as such. Research shows that long-term care is more manageable than the state is suggesting, with many older adults being able to finance a substantial amount of paid home care out of pocket. Creating a safety net for people who are not in need is hurtful and cruel when it takes income from workers who are trying to make ends meet. Evidence shows that people have substantial savings and assets that could be used for longterm care, if required to, instead of relying on other taxpayers. It is time for lawmakers to restore reasonable expectations surrounding how individuals pay for long-term care and let people make their own life plans in a broad, price competitive insurance market.”

LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform:

Solid thinking along lines similar to our advice: To make sense of what ails LTC, read “Long-Term Care: The Problem” and “Long-Term Care: The Solution” and watch this “virtual LTC event” featuring age wave visionary Ken Dychtwald and leading LTC researchers.