WA Cares Fund
WA Cares Fund is Washington's first-in-nation universal long-term care insurance program, funded by a 0.58% payroll contribution from workers and providing all eligible Washingtonians with up to $36,500 in lifetime long-term care benefits across more than 40 covered services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersOlympia, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What WA Cares Fund does
WA Cares Fund is a state-mandated public long-term care insurance program established by Washington's 2019 Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Act and operated by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) in collaboration with the Health Care Authority (HCA) and the Employment Security Department (ESD). It is the first universal long-term care program in the United States, guaranteeing access to a lifetime benefit of up to $36,500 (inflation-adjusted) for any working Washingtonian regardless of pre-existing conditions, addressing a need that roughly 70% of residents will face at some point in their lives. The program covers more than 40 services, including in-home personal care, home-delivered meals, home modifications, adaptive equipment, transportation, adult day services, professional nursing, dementia and behavioral supports, assisted living, memory care, and nursing home care, and uniquely permits beneficiaries to pay family members (including spouses) as caregivers.
The underlying technology is not proprietary; it is built on existing Washington State enterprise infrastructure. SecureAccess Washington (SAW) handles authentication and account management, ProviderOne (HCA's Medicaid system) is used for provider registration, pre-authorizations, claims, and payments, and contribution tracking reuses the wage-reporting rails of the state's Paid Family and Medical Leave program. The public-facing website is delivered in 16 languages through Google Cloud Translations, with human-translated Spanish content via YouTube. No mobile app is offered; beneficiaries interact through the web portal at account.wacaresfund.wa.gov.
Revenue mechanics are statutory rather than commercial. Workers contribute 0.58% of wages (approximately $300/year for the median Washington worker) through mandatory employer payroll withholding that began July 1, 2023, with no cap on the wage base. Self-employed workers can opt in at the same rate through SAW. Pooled contributions are invested by the State of Washington and, together with premiums, fund benefit obligations; a 2024 Milliman actuarial study projects the fund remains fully solvent through 2099 at the current rate. Distribution is fully automated via employer withholding (collection), a multi-channel awareness layer (webinars, GovDelivery newsletters, social, community toolkits, phone/email support), and a contracted provider network for service delivery (DSHS/Area Agencies on Aging plus Consumer Direct Care Network Washington for individual providers).
WA Cares Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WA Cares Fund
- Legal name
- WA Cares Fund
- Website
- https://wacaresfund.wa.gov
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- WA Cares Fund is Washington's first-in-nation universal long-term care insurance program, funded by a 0.58% payroll contribution from workers and providing all eligible Washingtonians with up to $36,500 in lifetime long-term care benefits across more than 40 covered services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WA Cares Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Long-Term Care Insurance
- NAICS
- Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- SIC
- Life Insurance (6311), Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Care & Long-Term Care Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Live-In Respite Care (Multi-Day) (HSABAGAC), Respite-Focused Adult Day Programs (Caregiver Relief) (HLADAIAG)
Keywords
Where WA Cares Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Olympia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WA Cares Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Payroll contributions: Workers contribute 0.58% of their wages through automatic payroll deduction. Contributions began July 1, 2023. Employers withhold and remit premiums to the state. Self-employed workers who opt in pay the same rate on net earnings or gross wages. There is no cap on wages subject to contributions (unlike Social Security).
- Investment income: Pooled contributions are invested by the State of Washington to fund future benefit payments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Universal contribution rate for all workers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
WA Cares Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WA Cares Fund is a state-mandated universal long-term care insurance program that provides Washington workers with a lifetime benefit of up to $36,500 (adjusted annually for inflation) for covered long-term care services. Workers contribute 0.58% of wages through automatic payroll deduction, and the benefit covers 40+ services including in-home personal care, home modifications, meals, transportation, assisted living, memory care, and nursing home care. Self-employed workers can opt in to participate in the program.
Product overview
WA Cares Fund is a single unified public long-term care insurance program operated by Washington State. Workers contribute 0.58% of their paycheck during their working years, earning access to a lifetime benefit of up to $36,500 (adjusted annually for inflation). The benefit can be used for over 40 different covered services including in-home personal care, home-delivered meals, transportation, adaptive equipment, home modifications, professional nursing, dementia support, adult day services, and facility care (assisted living, memory care, nursing homes). Self-employed workers can opt-in to participate. The program launched premium collection in July 2023 and benefits became available statewide in July 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WA Cares Fund Long-Term Care Benefit
- Self-Employed Elective Coverage
- WA Cares Contribution Calculator
Companies that use WA Cares Fund
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WA Cares Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
WA Cares Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)coreDSHS is the primary managing agency for WA Cares Fund, responsible for determining care needs, approving benefit applications, and paying providers. DSHS is headquartered in Olympia, WA.
- Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA)coreHCA manages provider payments and provider relations, including the ProviderOne system used for provider registration, pre-authorizations, claims, and payments.
- Employment Security Department (ESD)coreESD handles premium collection from employers, exemption applications and approvals, and self-employed opt-in administration through SecureAccess Washington (SAW).
- Area Agencies on AgingcoreArea Agencies on Aging may be responsible for processing applications, contracting with providers, and ongoing monitoring in certain areas depending on service and location.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
WA Cares Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave: Massachusetts PFML is a state-mandated paid family and medical leave social insurance program with payroll contributions. It shares WA Cares' architecture of state-administered, payroll-funded benefits and includes family caregiving leave elements analogous to WA Cares' caregiver support services.
- New York Paid Family Leave: New York's Paid Family Leave is a state social insurance program providing job-protected, paid leave funded through small payroll contributions. It is a comparable state-mandated benefit program with similar funding and administration mechanics to WA Cares.
- California Paid Family Leave: California's Paid Family Leave program is a state-mandated social insurance program providing wage-replacement benefits funded through payroll contributions. It is structurally analogous to WA Cares as a state-administered, payroll-funded social insurance scheme, though for family/caregiving leave rather than LTC.
Direct peers
- MassMutual: MassMutual offers long-term care insurance and hybrid life/LTC solutions through financial professionals and employer channels. It is a comparable private-sector LTC provider relevant for benchmarking WA Cares against alternative LTC insurance options.
- Transamerica: Transamerica offers long-term care insurance and hybrid life/LTC products through employer and individual channels. It competes in the same LTC insurance market that WA Cares targets and is relevant for understanding private LTC pricing and product design benchmarks.
- New York Life: New York Life offers long-term care insurance and hybrid life/LTC products as part of its broader life insurance portfolio. It is a comparable private-sector LTC insurance provider to the coverage WA Cares delivers through a public program.
- Genworth Financial: Genworth is the largest U.S. long-term care insurance carrier, offering individual and group LTC policies. It is the closest private-sector analog to WA Cares, providing comparable long-term care coverage on an insurance basis though without WA Cares' universality or mandate.
- Unum Group: Unum provides group and individual long-term care and disability insurance products, often through employer-sponsored plans. It serves a similar income-protection and care-coverage role as WA Cares, though via private insurance rather than social insurance.
- Mutual of Omaha: Mutual of Omaha is a major long-term care insurance provider offering individual LTC policies and partnership plans. It competes directly in the LTC insurance market that WA Cares partially substitutes for Washington workers.
Others
- AARP Services: AARP provides consumer information, advocacy, and access to long-term care insurance products through partnerships with carriers like New York Life. It is an ecosystem player that shapes LTC awareness and demand relevant to WA Cares' target beneficiary population.
Market position
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WA Cares Fund social profiles
Digital presenceWA Cares Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WA Cares Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
WA Cares Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WA Cares Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WA Cares Fund
What does WA Cares Fund do?
WA Cares Fund is a state-mandated universal long-term care insurance program that provides Washington workers with a lifetime benefit of up to $36,500 (adjusted annually for inflation) for covered long-term care services. Workers contribute 0.58% of wages through automatic payroll deduction, and the benefit covers 40+ services including in-home personal care, home modifications, meals, transportation, assisted living, memory care, and nursing home care. Self-employed workers can opt in to participate in the program.
Is WA Cares Fund a public or private company?
WA Cares Fund is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was WA Cares Fund founded?
WA Cares Fund was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is WA Cares Fund based?
WA Cares Fund is headquartered in Olympia, United States, in the North America region.
How does WA Cares Fund make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Payroll contributions are the primary driver. The others are investment income.
Who are WA Cares Fund's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave, New York Paid Family Leave and California Paid Family Leave. Direct peers are MassMutual, Transamerica, New York Life, Genworth Financial, Unum Group and Mutual of Omaha. AARP Services is listed as an others.
Does WA Cares Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for WA Cares Fund.
What industry is WA Cares Fund in?
WA Cares Fund's product category is Public Long-Term Care Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAKAK, Social Care & Long-Term Care Benefits Administration, with a secondary code of HSABAGAC, Live-In Respite Care (Multi-Day). Its NAICS code is 5251 and its SIC code is 6311.