GUEST COMMENTARY

The button works–for some people! Baby steps.

If you have private long-term-care insurance (LTCI) and want to opt out of a new long-term-care payroll tax starting in January, you can apply for an exemption with the state of Washington starting today. Maybe. For those who got in before the site crashed, minutes after it opened, I hear it was easy. I have not had success.

Read more about the regressive tax and misguided law that created it here.

This law concerning long-term care should be repealed by lawmakers. The new mandate burdens family budgets, makes false promises and takes away choices. For now, those who have private LTCI can apply to opt out of the state program and payroll tax by following the steps below.

• Go to the link near the bottom of the “exemptions” page of the WA Cares Fund website.

• Be prepared to set up a Secure Access Washington (SAW) account. (This is the most cumbersome part of the process and could trip you up. You need to enter personal information — including your Social Security Number–and upload proof of identity.)

• This will take you to the actual exemption request. Click three boxes verifying you have a private plan and are giving up access to the state’s taxpayer-funded plan and submit.

• Wait for state officials to approve your application, which isn’t the day you apply. The state might get back to you for more information.

• If your application is approved, there’s one more step: At some point, you’ll get a letter you need to show your employer. You’ll need to show the letter to all future employers.

The window for application will stay open until December 2022. Remember, however: You need to have a private, qualifying plan before November 1 of 2021 to even be considered for exemption. And unless you already have one in process, we’ve heard none are available until after that cut-off date.

I’m far more interested in policy than process, but people have been looking for process help with this task and finding little more than a public-relations campaign from the state. So, here’s some help. For specific questions, try contacting [email protected].

-Hovde is the Director, Center for Health Care and Center for Worker Rights for the Washington Policy Center.