Overview
The 2026 legislative session begins in Olympia on January 12 and will span 60 days. Lawmakers are expected to confront significant revenue, tax, and fiscal challenges. Budget news out of Olympia has been grim, and the November revenue forecast only reinforces that picture with a projected budget shortfall of $2-3 billion that must be addressed. Budget leaders have already urged members to avoid new spending requests and focus solely on maintenance-level packages. With new faces in the Legislature, a Governor entering his second year in office and turnover continuing in the press corps, long-term care has its work cut out for itself.
Focus Areas
Ensuring that the legislature continues their commitment to stable Medicaid funding will be essential in maintaining access to care for the thousands of seniors who rely on it.
Access to the workforce has been and continues to be a barrier with age, funding, wage competition, and retention of trained staff all playing a role in driving disruptions. We will ask the legislature to continue to progress in ensuring rates are rebased and related to relative costs.
We will also ask the legislature to address important policy changes to eliminate workforce barriers that drive workers from employment in assisted living and skilled nursing. We will ask the Legislature to address problems in training and certification, and will ensure the Legislature understands the composition of the LTC, and the relationship between quality care and adequate Medicaid funding.
Finally, beyond any specific statute or regulation, we are working to educate lawmakers, their staff, agencies, and the press corps about the rapidly growing population of older adults in our state. No matter the issue, a greater understanding of the needs of an aging population will help inform deliberations that better consider how our state can best support long-term care as part of the broader health care system.
How You Can Get Involved
Effective, ongoing advocacy will be vital as we work to instill the importance of rate rebases, LTC parity within the continuum, and work force disruptions. Your voice has been instrumental in providing the lived experience necessary to inform policy decisions. We have heard from you on tours and encourage you to join us as we schedule advocacy training and utilize our Action Center for electronic letter campaigns.
WHCA Government Relations Contacts
- Carma Matti-Jackson, CEO & President
- Lauri St. Ours, Executive Vice President of Government Relations & Communications
- Aidan Swayne, Government Relations Coordinator