Washington’s uninsured rate nearly doubled in the first weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic as more than a million workers lost their jobs and their employer-sponsored health coverage. 

A report issued Aug. 19 by the state Office of Financial Management indicates the uninsured rate remained far above pre-pandemic levels, but the numbers are improving locally and across the state.  

Before the pandemic, 6.7% of Washington residents had no health insurance. That jumped to 13% by May 23 as job losses cut many workers and their families off from employer-sponsored health insurance. By the week of Aug. 8, the uninsured rate stood at 8.5%, or 26% above pre-pandemic levels.  

In Benton County, 5.3% of residents lacked health insurance prior to the pandemic. The uninsured rate jumped to 10.6% in May and fell to 6.9% by Aug. 8, or 30% above pre-pandemic levels.  

Benton had the fifth-highest increase in the state after Pierce (41%), King (40%), Snohomish (35%) and Kittitas (32%) counties.

In Franklin County, 15.8% of residents lacked health insurance prior to the pandemic. That rose to 18.1% by May 23, falling back to 16.5% by Aug. 8, or 4.5% higher than pre-pandemic levels.  

Franklin County had a relative low increase because it already had one of the highest uninsured rates before the pandemic, along with Yakima and Adams counties. 

The full report is available at bit.ly/OFMUninsuredReportAugust.