How to Become a WA Cares Provider: A Guide for Washington Home Care Agencies
WA Cares benefits began July 1, 2026. Home care agencies must register to get paid. The three-step process, what services count and what to prepare.
By Caregiver Scheduling Team ·
Short answer. WA Cares, Washington’s state long-term care benefit, started paying for care on July 1, 2026. To be paid, a home care agency must apply online, sign a contract with DSHS or its local Area Agency on Aging, and receive registration from DSHS (WA Cares). Eligible people have a lifetime benefit starting at $36,500, adjusted for inflation.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change and depend on your facts. Confirm with the official source linked in each section or the WA Cares Fund before acting.
Who can use WA Cares?
Washington workers who met the contribution requirement and need help with at least three activities of daily living. Workers contribute 0.58% of wages (WA Cares). Many of your private-pay clients’ adult children are contributors, and some older clients are eligible now.
What services can an agency provide?
In-home personal care and respite care through home care agencies are covered services. The benefit also covers other services such as home-delivered meals and adaptive equipment from other registered providers (WA Cares toolkit).
How does registration work?
- Apply online through the WA Cares provider page.
- Sign a client service contract with DSHS or your local Area Agency on Aging. You may have more than one contract if you offer more than one service.
- Receive registration from DSHS.
Services need pre-authorization. Maximum rates are in the provider toolkit (WA Cares toolkit).
Can family members be paid?
Yes. A family caregiver can be employed by a home care agency registered with WA Cares, supervised by the agency under an agency plan of care. That is a recruiting channel for agencies.
What to prepare
- Current Washington in-home services license and home care aide credentials
- Rate sheet compared with WA Cares maximum rates
- A process to track each client’s remaining benefit balance, so care isn’t delivered after it runs out
- Authorization tracking per client
How Caregiver Scheduling helps
On Growth and up, each client’s authorized hours are checked as you schedule, the same way they work for Medicaid, so visits past the pre-authorized amount are caught before they happen. Private-pay invoicing for anything the family pays above the benefit is coming soon.
FAQ
Is WA Cares the same as Medicaid? No. It’s a separate state benefit. Some clients will have both.
Can I bill WA Cares at my private-pay rate? Only up to the program’s maximum rates. Check the toolkit.
What happens when a client’s benefit runs out? WA Cares stops paying. Agree on a plan with the family in advance.
Change log
- 2026-11-06 Published, from the primary sources listed in the frontmatter. The covered service list and maximum rates live in the provider toolkit; check it before you quote.
Living page. Last reviewed November 6, 2026.