WA Cares 2026–2028 rescission window: what 2021 opt-outs should review
The old exemption application window did not reopen. What did open is narrower and points the other direction: people who already hold a permanent private-insurance exemption may give it up and participate in WA Cares.
A rescission period opened. The 2021 opt-out did not reopen.
WAC 192-905-009 establishes a period running from January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028 in which an employee who previously received an approved permanent exemption based on private long-term care insurance may rescind that exemption and begin participating in WA Cares. The rescission becomes effective the quarter immediately following notification, and the employee must give the rescission letter to their current employer so premium withholding can begin.
What has not changed: the exemption application period described in RCW 50B.04.085 ran October 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022 and remains closed. If you did not obtain an exemption then, this window does not give you one now. And wages and hours you earned while exempt generally do not count toward the qualification requirements in RCW 50B.04.080 — which is why the arithmetic is very different for someone with thirty working years ahead than for someone with three.
What happened, and when.
| Period | What it means |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2021 – December 31, 2022 | The private long-term care insurance exemption application period. This window is closed and did not reopen. |
| Through 2025 | Approved private-insurance exemptions were treated as permanent, with wages exempt from the WA Cares premium assessment. |
| January 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028 | The rescission period under WAC 192-905-009. Holders of an approved permanent exemption may rescind it and begin participating. |
| The quarter after notification | A rescission becomes effective the quarter immediately following notification; premium withholding begins from that point. |
| After June 30, 2028 | The rescission period as written closes. Confirm any later changes with the official program. |
Staying exempt versus rescinding and participating.
Both paths are legitimate. This table lays out the factors people typically weigh — it does not tell you which is better, because that depends on facts specific to you.
| Factor | Keeping the exemption | Rescinding and participating |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll premium | No WA Cares premium assessment while the exemption remains in effect. | The premium assessment under RCW 50B.04.060 begins from the effective quarter forward. |
| Benefit access | No access to WA Cares benefits. | Access is possible only if the contribution and work-history requirements in RCW 50B.04.080 are eventually met. |
| Prior years | Not applicable. | Wages and hours earned while exempt generally do not count toward qualifying. |
| Time horizon | Often discussed by people with few remaining Washington working years. | Often discussed by people with many working years ahead of them in Washington. |
| Private coverage | Continues or ends entirely on its own terms — unrelated to exemption status. | Continues or ends entirely on its own terms — unrelated to exemption status. |
| Reversibility | Rescission is available only during the stated window. | Written as a durable move back into the program, not a toggle. |
What to gather before you decide.
- Confirm with the official WA Cares program that you actually hold an approved permanent private-insurance exemption, and locate the approval record.
- Estimate how many more years you expect to work for wages in Washington.
- Read the benefit qualification requirements in RCW 50B.04.080 and note that exempt years generally do not count.
- Look up the current premium rate under RCW 50B.04.060 and estimate the payroll cost at your wage level.
- Read your private policy: benefit pool, monthly benefit, elimination period, inflation option, and whether premiums are guaranteed.
- Consider what happens if you move out of Washington, retire early, or shift to self-employment.
- Note that WA Cares benefits and private coverage are structured differently; neither is a substitute for a full review of the other.
- Ask the program directly about the rescission letter, employer notification, and effective-quarter mechanics before you send anything.
- Keep the private-policy decision separate from the exemption decision, and never cancel or replace coverage before replacement coverage is approved and in force.
The exemption and the policy are not linked.
The exemption decision
Whether to keep or rescind an approved exemption is a program question. It is answered through the official WA Cares Fund and the Employment Security Department, using the process in WAC 192-905-009. No insurance transaction is required to rescind, and no insurance transaction preserves or creates an exemption.
The private-policy decision
Whether the coverage you bought in 2021 still fits is a separate review of benefit amounts, elimination periods, inflation options, riders, and premium history. Work through the review checklist before assuming anything should change. Never cancel or replace coverage before new coverage is approved and in force.
Rescission window questions.
Washington Cares & private long-term care.
Reviewing a policy bought in the 2021 rush
A line-by-line review checklist for coverage purchased quickly to meet the original 2021 deadline.
Washington's supplemental LTC rules (May 1, 2026)
How Chapter 48.212 RCW defines supplemental long-term care coverage, and why existing policies may not meet that definition.
Coordinating life, LTC, and disability income
Coordinated, yes. One policy, usually no. A three-layer framework and what may or may not combine.
Request a Washington policy review
Bring your 2021 policy, your exemption question, and your current plan to one educational conversation.
Read the official material directly.
- WAC 192-905-009 — Rescinding an approved long-term services and supports exemption
- RCW 50B.04.085 — Exemptions (private long-term care insurance and other categories)
- RCW 50B.04.080 — Benefit eligibility and qualification
- RCW 50B.04.060 — Premium assessment and collection
- Chapter 48.212 RCW — Supplemental long-term care insurance
- Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner — Supplemental long-term care insurance
- WA Cares Fund — How it works (official program site)
This article is educational and general in nature. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice, and it is not an offer, application, or recommendation for any insurance product. Eligibility, exemption, rescission, and benefit questions about WA Cares should be confirmed with the official WA Cares Fund program and the Washington Employment Security Department. Insurance decisions require individual review, and availability, cost, underwriting, and policy terms vary by person and by contract. Sarah Elizabeth DePover is a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual and is not a representative of, or affiliated with, the WA Cares Fund or any Washington state agency. Full disclosures.