Long-Term Care Legislative Updates
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Long-Term Care Legislative Updates
Select a state below to begin
State Legislation Updates
Federal
Updated June 2025
Where do things stand?
Tom Suozzi (D – NY (Long Island) re-introduced the Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act. The plan is a catastrophic LTC program that would become available to eligible beneficiaries after a waiting period which would be tiered and dependent on an individual’s income. Suozzi considers the legislation to be a public/private partnership and has emphasized the need for private insurance coverage to play a role in the program, particularly during the waiting period.
In August, 2025 Morningstar conducted a study showing that WISH benefits would significantly reduce retirement shortfall risk.
Resources
California
Updated June 2025
- No significant updates as of June, 2025
Trustmark continues to strive to be a trusted source of information on potential legislation regarding LTC for our partners. We do our best to avoid speculation, and instead, we focus on the need for LTC coverage.
The California Department of Insurance's released an FAQ and new guidelines is in part due to the speculation that is being used in the market by some. As covered in the documents, there is no statewide LTC program in California and no legislation to create a statewide program has been introduced at this time. Any discussion of what a statewide program would look like, whether or not opt outs would be allowed and what the parameters for the opt outs (if included) would be is, at this time, speculative in nature.
What's on the docket?
The Long Term Care Insurance Task Force (Task Force) was established within the California Department of Insurance in 2019 with the passage of AB 567. Its mission is to explore the feasibility of a statewide insurance program for long-term care services and support. At this time, it appears the Task Force is considering recommending several designs that would include “opt-outs” for individuals who own private coverage. Specific requirements regarding qualifying coverage for the opt out is yet to be determined.
Where do things stand?
The California Department of Insurance (CD) Long-Term Care Task Force held their 24th and final meeting December 18, 2023, where they adopted the final Actuarial Report. This report will be sent to the Governer, Legislature and Commissioner of Insurance by January 1, 2024. A full list of the materials for this meeting can be found here. Any further meetings will require additional funding.
No legislation to introduce a state-run long-term care program has been introduced.
Additional Resources
- Final actuarial report
- Final actuarial report overview
- Final actuarial report FAQs
- Feasibility report FAQs
- Proposed dates for upcoming meetings
- Long Term Care Insurance Task Force
- Task Force Timeline
- Final feasibility report
Connecticut
Updated June 2025
What's on the docket?
Senate Bill 245 was introduced on February 23, 2024 by Rep. James Sanchez(D) to require the Commissioner of Social Services to study long-term care needs in the state. This bill was referred to The Committee on Aging with a hearing scheduled on March 5, 2024. The Joint Committee on Aging favorably reported the bill on March 12. Following a favorable report out of the Legislative Commissioner’s Office on March 26, this bill failed to pass prior to regular session adjournment on May 8 and is considered dead.
Important dates
- None
Additional Resources
Hawaii
Where do things stand?
H2224 related to creating a LTC plan for achieving policy goals was signed by the Governor on July 1. Effective July 1, 2024, H2224 requires Hawaii's Executive Office on Aging, in coordination with the State Health Planning and Development Agency, to create a comprehensive long-term care plan to accomplish certain long-term care policy goals that ensure the availability of a full continuum of institutional and community-based services. The bill establishes and appropriates funds for one long-term care planner position within the Executive Office on Aging to oversee the development and implementation of the long-term care plan. The Executive Office on Aging is required to submit a report to the legislature prior to the 2025 regular session.
What's on the docket?
In April 2025, Hawaii adopted HI Senate Resolution 19. This is a request to the HI Tax Review Commission to identify possible ways of implementing the state LTC Financing Program when the Commission convenes later this year. The LTC Financing Program intends to provide universal and affordable LTC care for all eligible HI residents. Such LTC benefits would be primary to Medicaid and private LTC insurance. Legislation supporting the program passed in 2022, but that bill only outlined the framework and eligibility. Funding sources and other program details were left out of the legislation. The Commission is to deliver its report shortly after the 2026 legislative session begins.
Additional Resources
Kentucky
Updated June 2025
What's on the docket?
A joint resolution was introduced by Ruth Ann Palumbo(D) on February 22, 2024 directing the Department of Insurance to create a task force to explore the feasibility of implementing a statewide insurance program for long-term care services and supports. The resolution was not passed when the 2024 session adjourned and the bill is considered dead.
Additional Resources
Maryland
Updated June 2025
What’s on the docket?
Maryland introduced House Bill 349 on January 17, 2024 requiring the Department of Aging to contract with an independent consultant to conduct an insurance study on public and private options for leveraging resources to help individuals prepare for long-term care services and support needs. House Bill 349 did not progress and no new legislation has been introduced.
Additional resources
Massachusetts
Updated July 2025
What's on the docket?
Massachusetts proposed MA H 3025, a new long-term care insurance tax credit in the amount of 20% of premiums paid effective for tax years after 12/31/23. As of June, 2025, this remains active.
In November 2024, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EO HHS) commissioned a study to explore the feasibility of a public long-term care program. The state engaged Milliman and began engaging stakeholders and advocates late last year for input. Milliman presented its draft findings in March 2025. In June 2025, the MA Executive Office on Aging presented findings from the LTC feasibility study completed by Milliman. The study focused on a plan funded by a payroll tax with a monthly benefit maximum of $7,500 and a lifetime benefit of $75,000. Full details can be found below.
MA also introduced S 476 on February 27, 2025. This bill would establish a special commission to study and make recommendations on a statewide long-term care services and supports benefit program in the state. The study would specifically consider a payroll tax for funding along with program modeling including mandated versus voluntary options and benefit options providing basic insurance, nonmedical services and supports, or offsetting care costs for individuals in need. If passed, the bill would also require review of and reliance on the Milliman study which, as noted above, is currently underway but not yet finalized. SD 1962 is scheduled for a hearing in the Joint Committee of Elder Affairs on 6/24/25.
Where do things stand?
The MA state LTC feasibility study prepared by Milliman demonstrates a potential public program model funded through a payroll tax. Milliman actuaries modeled a standard core plan (front-end plan, back-end plan, and catastrophic plan), along with alternative public program models. Currently proposed legislation directs reliance on the study findings.
Additional Resources
Minnesota
Updated 7/29/24
What's on the docket?
The Minnesota Department of Human Services Aging and Disability Services Administration Division submitted a request for proposal for a contractor to study options to increase access to long term care financing, services, and support in Minnesota. This contract was awarded to FTI Consulting who is partnering with Altarum to conduct the study. FTI is expected to complete the study sometime in November.
The Legislative Task Force on Aging was established during the 2023 legislative session “to review and develop state resources for an aging demographic; identify and prioritize necessary support for an aging population through statewide and local endeavors for people to remain in their communities”.
In addition, legislation was introduced in March, 2023, to place a constitutional amendment on the November, 2024 ballot to establish a fund for long-term care services. According to the MN Life & Financial Services Council, this bill has been introduced in previous sessions and has never advanced.
Where do things stand?
The Legislative Task Force on Aging meeting on July 25 included a presentation of findings and recommendations from the LTC Funding Study conducted by external consultant, FTI. The presentation included some emphasis on the need for a combined public and private solution, and recommendations from the study included 1) a state supported system for access to caregiving resources 2) new life and LTC insurance products to meet the state's needs and 3) a state-based catastrophic-lite program that would pay for certain LTC needs after a 2 year elimination period.
Additional resources
New York
Updated September 2025
What's on the docket?
In its proposed budget (A.3003B), the NY Assembly allocated $2 million for a public long-term care insurance feasibility study. However, the final budget did not include the LTC study appropriation.
New York introduced two bills in early January 2025, NY A 1499 and S 1179. Both bills contain similar language establishing a New York long-term care trust program through which the state provides long-term care services and support to eligible residents. As written, the bill provides for an exemption for individuals with private long-term care coverage. Note that these bills appear to mirror those introduced during last year's session.
New York also introduced a bill in January 2025, NY A 4093, to provide personal income tax deduction for long-term care insurance riders under life insurance policies.
Regular session adjourned on 6/17/25.
On August 8, SB 8473 was introduced, which, if passed, would direct the New York State Department of Health to conduct a study exploring the feasibility of creating a public LTC insurance program. The study’s findings would be due within a year of enactment.
Important dates
- N/A
Additional Resources
Pennsylvania
Updated 4/11/23
What's on the docket?
House Bill 844 was introduced April 10, 2023 by a Democratic representative. The bill would establish a LTC program very similar to the WA Cares Fund. The legislation, as introduced, establishes a Long-Term Services and Supports Commission and creates a Long-Term Services and Supports Council and Trust Fund. It also imposes a payroll tax of .58% and exempts individuals who already have private LTC coverage.
Where do things stand?
The bill has been assigned to the Assembly Human Services Committee. This is the same bill that was introduced in August 2022. While it could advance out of committee, it looks as if it will be difficult to get approval of the bill in the state Senate.
Important dates
- N/A
Additional resources
Vermont
Updated June 2025
What's on the docket?
Vermont introduced VT H 120 on January 26, 2025. The bill proposes requiring the Secretary of Administration to study and design a trust fund that will provide for long-term care for certain Vermont residents, and to propose legislation to statutorily create this fund. This bill did not pass.
Additional Resources
Washington
Updated June 2025
Where do things stand?
In 2019, the “Trust Act” was passed, later establishing “The WA Cares Fund.” The program would be funded by a .58% payroll tax, but included an exemption for individuals who owned private LTC insurance prior to November 1, 2021. The LTC rider included with Trustmark’s Universal Life and LifeEvents product qualified individuals to opt-out of the WA Cares Fund and the corresponding tax.
After the WA Cares Fund was established, the legislature created the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Commission (Trust Commission), consisting of legislators, administering agencies, and stakeholder representatives. The Trust Commission’s purpose is to develop recommendations to update and improve the WA Cares Fund, including a potential recertification requirement for individuals who received an exemption due to private coverage.
State ballot initiative 2124, proposed to make the WA Cares Act optional, did not pass on Nov 5, 2024. The WA Cares Act remains in effect without any changes for Washingtonians.
*New* WA S 5291 was introduced in January of 2025 and passed in May of 2025. This bill will implement the recommendations of the long-term care services and supports trust commission. In addition to technical adjustments for active duty military and individuals who move out of state, the bill also includes an allowance for the recission of previously granted private insurance exemptions and also allows for supplemental long-term care insurance products to be used with, or in addition to the WA Cares benefit. The bill does NOT include recertification.
What's on the docket?
In early 2024, The Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Trust Commission released a recommendation report with suggestions to improve the WA Cares program.
The Office of the State Actuary published an actuarial study of the WA Cares Fund on October 20th, 2022. The report indicates the fund is expected to be solvent through its first 75 years. The full report can be found here.
Important dates
- Exemption application deadline for WA Cares Fund Program - 12/31/22
- First payroll tax deductions - 7/1/23
- Washington Cares Act begins to pay benefits - 1/1/26
Additional Resources