Olympian -Washington is the first state in the nation to establish a program to help offset the costs of long-term care, under a new law signed by Gov. Jay Inslee.
Starting in 2025, the program promises a benefit for those who pay into the program, with a lifetime maximum of $36,500 per person, indexed to inflation, paid for by an employee payroll premium.
Under the new law, premiums of 0.58% of wages will start being collected from employees by 2022. Starting Jan. 1, 2025, people who need assistance with at least three "activities of daily living" such as bathing, dressing or taking medication could tap into the fund to pay for things like in-home care, home modifications like a wheelchair ramp and rides to the doctor.
To be eligible, workers will have had to have paid the premium working at least 500 hours per year for three of the previous six years in which they're seeking the benefit or for a total of 10 years, with at least five of those paid without interruption.
According to AARP of Washington, 70% of residents 65 and older will require some type of assistance to live independently.
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