WA Cares - Early Evidence on Benefits Use and Medicaid Transitions
Grant Summary
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) researchers will study Washington state’s WA Cares program, the nation’s first payroll-funded long-term care insurance program designed to expand access to long-term care. Using quantitative analysis of administrative data, the study will examine who uses the benefit and how, whether the $36,500 lifetime benefit is sufficient, and what happens after benefits are exhausted, including beneficiary transitions to Medicaid. These findings will be further enriched by a separate qualitative evaluation of early implementation (funded by the Commonwealth Fund). Findings will help identify access gaps, inform coordination between WA Cares and Medicaid, and provide evidence for policymakers in other states considering similar long-term care insurance programs for older adults and their family caregivers.
Related Grant Resources
Grant Details
Organization
Oregon Health & Science University, Center for Health Systems Effectiveness
Grant Amount
$170,282
Grant Period
24 months
Approval Date
September 2026
Priority Area
Status
Active
Primary Contact
Hyunjee Kim, Amy T. Edmonds
kihy@ohsu.edu
edmondsam@ohsu.edu
Program Officer
Scott Bane
