Long-Term Care Insurance Special Enrollment for City of Tacoma Government Employees Only
(September 22 – October 13, 2021)
Why is this Special Enrollment Opportunity Being Offered?
- Washington State is rolling out a new State-operated Long-Term Care (LTC) insurance program funded by payroll taxes starting January 1, 2022. Employees working in Washington will pay $0.58 per $100 of all earnings.
- Individuals can opt out of the State program by purchasing their own individual long-term care coverage prior to November 1, 2021.
- Individuals will also need to apply for an exemption through the State between October 1, 2021 – December 31, 2022 by providing proof they obtained a qualified long-term care insurance policy prior to November 1, 2021. According to the legislation, this is a permanent, one-time opt-out opportunity.
The City of Tacoma is able to offer employees a one-time alternative long-term care option through direct enrollment with Trustmark Universal Life Insurance.
Please Note: Whether to purchase an alternative long-term care plan or go with the State program (with the mandatory payroll tax), is a personal decision; every employee should research their options and decide what is best for them.
About this Special Enrollment
The Trustmark insurance includes a voluntary, employee-paid individual Permanent Life Insurance coverage with LTC coverage:
- Eligible employees, ages 18-64, can purchase up to $150,000 of permanent Life coverage with Guaranteed Issue (NO medical questions). The LTC benefit is 4% of the life insurance amount you purchase. For example, $150,000 life insurance policy would provide a $6,000 monthly LTC benefit.
- Eligible employees, ages 65-70, can apply for permanent Life coverage with a LTC benefit by answering a few medical questions.
- Eligible employees, ages 71-75, can apply for permanent life coverage by answering additional medical questions but no LTC benefit is available.
- Eligible spouses/domestic partners, ages 18-70, can apply for permanent Life coverage with a LTC benefit by answering a few medical questions.
How do I Enroll with Trustmark?
To enroll in this product from Trustmark featuring both permanent life insurance and a benefit for long-term care services:
- Go online to https://cityoftacoma.yourcare360.com/ to enroll in the new voluntary benefit before October 14, 2021.
- Call 833-603-2747 to speak with a Trustmark expert, 7 AM - 4 PM PST
Helpful Information
- Rates do not increase due to age
- Portable – coverage will continue even if you move out of Washington State or change jobs – this is an individual policy between you and Trustmark.
- Premium Payments – individuals pay Trustmark directly for this individual policy, there are no payroll deductions
*Eligibility Note: This City of Tacoma coordinated program with Trustmark will not be available to temporary employees and part-time employees working less than 20 hours week. Employees represented by Local 31, Local 6, or Local 26 are not eligible for this program as they already have an offering available through Trustmark through their union affiliations. It will also not be available to employees of Tacoma Public Library as they have a long-term care benefit offering available to them through UNUM and should contact their Human Resources Department with questions.
Learn More and Additional Resources
Trustmark Flyer (comparison chart)
Trustmark Sample Rate Tables
Trustmark FAQ
WA Cares Fund Website
City of Tacoma Long-Term Care web page
City of Tacoma Long-Term Care FAQ
Register for an upcoming live webinar being offered during the special enrollment period to learn more about:
- What is long-term care insurance and why you may want to have this type of coverage.
- The Washington State Long Term Care Program/Employee Tax.
- Special One-Time Offering through Trustmark, which is voluntary individual permanent life insurance policy with a long term care benefit.
