If Voters Decide to Allow WA Cares Op-Out, Will the State Refund Tax Collections?

More than nine months since Washington state workers started paying into the state-mandated long-term care insurance program known as WA Cares, most working Washingtonians have contributed at least a few hundred dollars to the program. But if voters approve Initiative 2124 this November, workers can opt out of having 58 cents out of every $100 earned deducted from their paychecks. WA Cares opponents argue the maximum $36,500 benefit, not available until July 2026, is not adequate and may give someone a false sense of security about future long-term care needs.