By Lorilyn Lirio

On Tuesday, October 15, the Olympia City Council passed a resolution opposing Washington State’s Initiative 2124, which would make the state’s long-term care insurance program voluntary.

Olympia Assistant City Manager Debbi Sullivan gave the city council an overview of Initiative 2124 and the Washington Cares long-term insurance program.

The Washington Cares program provides up to $36,500, adjusted for inflation, to individuals who meet its needs to pay for certain long-term care services, such as: B. care facilities. The program is financed through mandatory contributions from employees.

In Washington, most full-time, part-time and temporary employees are required to contribute 0.58% of their wages.

Regarding Initiative 2124, Sullivan explained that it would change the way participation in the long-term insurance program works. As part of the initiative, participating employees and self-employed people could leave at any time.

Those who opt out would no longer have to pay the premiums but would not be eligible for the $36,500 benefit.

If approved by voters, Initiative 2124 would repeal the provision that provided a voluntary exemption for workers who purchased long-term care insurance before November 2021, according to Sullivan.

Two Olympia residents testified against Initiative 2124.

Lisa Ornstein spoke against the initiative on behalf of community member Judith Bendersky during the public hearing.

Bendersky, a board-certified gerontologist, Medicare consultant and aging and disability resource specialist, emphasized the importance of the Washington Cares long-term care program.

“For 25 years, I have met families and individuals who have found that Medicare will not cover the cost of their long-term care,” Bendersky said. “Many of them have had to work hard their entire lives to qualify for the federal Medicaid program, known in Washington as Apple Health. They often have to use up their assets and become almost penniless.”

Bendersky explained that long-term care insurance is unaffordable and inaccessible to anyone who has received a traumatic medical diagnosis.

Bendersky argued that “Washington Cares, which seeks to sabotage Initiative 2124, is a ‘brilliant cure’ for this problem.”

Jim Lazar also testified against Initiative 2124. He warned that the initiative would undermine the sustainability of the Washington Care long-term care program. “The initiative presents voters with a false economic choice – a chance to save pennies now at a likely higher cost later.”

As with Social Security, Lazar said people donate a small portion of their wages to the Washington Cares program to help provide long-term care support services and provide additional stability for society and themselves when receiving care later in life need.

“Participation in our state’s long-term care program would trigger a death spiral that could ultimately lead to bankruptcy and destroy the program.” Lazar argued that this would leave “millions of Washingtonians” without long-term care coverage.