Public Health — Seattle & King County is monitoring changes in key economic, social, and other health indicators resulting from strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19. Just as the pandemic has had disparate impacts on parts of our population, mitigation measures present more hardship for some members of our community than others. The economic, social, and health impacts data project helps inform strategies and policies to minimize those harms and maximize outcomes for all residents of King County.

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Below are highlights, but you can view the entire dashboard here

The national  declaration of COVID-19 pandemic as a public health emergency will end on May 11, 2023 

These emergency declarations have been in place since early 2020 and gave the Federal government flexibility to waive or modify certain requirements in a range of areas, including economic, social, and healthcare sectors. We will be monitoring how the lifting of these declarations will impact King County. Public Health-Seattle & King County is actively working with community partners to mitigate impacts for those affected by these changes.

More than half a million King County residents were enrolled in Medicaid in December 2022  

• There were 524,790 Medicaid enrollees (children and adults) in King County in December 2022. This was a 32% increase (over 126,000 enrollees) in Medicaid enrollment compared to the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, when there were 398,706 King County enrollees.
• In December 2022, there were 210,942 Medicaid enrollees as part of the Adult Medicaid Expansion group (the group of adults who can apply for Medicaid because of the 2014 Medicaid expansion).   

  • This is a 60% increase of the Adult Medicaid Expansion group compared to the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 when there were 131,834 Medicaid enrollees as part of the Adult Medicaid Expansion group.

  • Almost 2 out of 5 Medicaid enrollees in King County in December 2022 were part of the Adult Medicaid Expansion group. 

• The Washington State Health Care Authority anticipates resuming pre-pandemic* operations as of April 1, 2023. This will impact Medicaid enrollees on a rolling basis, as each month a new group comes up for renewal verification.

• Public Health-Seattle & King County will be working with enrollees that need to renew their coverage and monitoring the number of individuals enrolled in Medicaid in King County since we anticipate a decline in the coming months due to this policy change.

^{Find out if you or someone you know might be eligible for Medicaid services.}

^{* Before March 2020 (pre-pandemic), states regularly checked whether people enrolled in Medicaid were still eligible. These “checks” were removed during the pandemic as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) which required Medicaid programs keep individuals continuously enrolled through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Due in part to this continuous enrollment policy change, Medicaid enrollment has substantially grown compared to pre-pandemic.}     

Number of Medicaid Enrollees in King County 2020 - 2022

ECONOMIC

After an autumn increase, the percent of renters or mortgage-holders not current on housing payments is holding steady in the King-Pierce-Snohomish county area

In the first half of January 2023, 6% of renters or mortgage-holders reported being behind on housing payments in the King-Pierce-Snohomish county area. The percentage of renters or mortgage-holders behind on housing payments peaked at 11% during October 5-17, 2022.

Housing needs continue to be the leading reason for calls to 2-1-1  

During the last week of January 2023, there were 1,522 calls to King County 2-1-1 with about 3 in 5 callers (62%) asking for assistance with housing related needs.

SOCIAL

The rate of Emergency Department (ED) visits involving domestic violence have decreased compared to December 2021

In December 2022, there were 28.4 per 10,000 ED visits for domestic violence. This is an increase compared to the previous month (23.7 per 10,000 ED visits in November 2022) but a decrease compared to December 2021 (38.0 per 10,000 visits).

6.5% of adults with children in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area report not having enough to eat 

In early January 2023, 6.5% of adults in households with children in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area reported that they sometimes or often did not have enough food to eat in the last 7 days. 

From March 2020-February 2023, families enrolled in Basic Food received a temporary increase in food benefits. Beginning in March 2023, the 115,834 King County households enrolled in Basic Food will receive a food benefit amount decreased back to pre-pandemic levels. 

Public Health will be closely monitoring impacts on food security and assisting people to access food support. For more information about Basic Food benefits, contact Public Health Access & Outreach program at 1-800-756-5437.

HEALTH

Decrease in calls to King County's behavioral health crisis line 

In December 2022, there were 7,177 behavioral health crisis calls among King County residents. This is a 22% decrease from the previous year (9,164 calls in December 2021) but remains above pre-pandemic levels.  

For questions, please write to: COVIDevaluation@kingcounty.gov 

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