The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced payments of $538 million to the state of Washington, its local health departments and hospital systems for expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of that amount, $263 million goes to the State Department of Health, $73 million to King County, $10 million to Pierce County, $120 million to the Franciscan Health system, and $2 million to the State Military Department.
King County, home to Seattle, received a substantial share because it is the state’s largest county and runs key medical facilities, including the state hospital Harborview Medical Center and a network of clinics serving low-income residents. The funds are intended to cover expenses that the federal budget and private insurers did not fully reimburse, including funding for emergency care, vaccination programs and infectious disease response, as well as coordination of statewide emergency preparedness.
The Franciscan Health system, which received $120 million, after merging with Virginia Mason in 2021 became Virginia Mason Franciscan Health — a large nonprofit Catholic system operating ten hospitals and dozens of clinics in Western Washington. It competes with giants like UW Medicine and MultiCare, while actively participating in public health programs by taking Medicaid patients and partnering with King County on homeless assistance and vaccination projects. In 2022 the system also acquired several independent hospitals, increasing its influence in the Puget Sound region.
The funds are meant to cover past expenses, including purchases of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and patients, laboratory equipment to expand COVID-19 testing, and additional hospital staff. Nationwide, FEMA allocated $5.4 billion to reimburse delayed payments that had not been made for several years. Congressman Rick Larsen noted that the money will help strengthen health systems and protect access to affordable care for families.
Senator Patty Murray criticized the delays, saying these resources should have been provided much earlier. She accused former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem of unjustifiably withholding payments, calling it political manipulation of disaster aid. Republicans, including Congressman Andrew Garbarino, also expressed dissatisfaction with the delays, noting that hiding funds undermines hospitals’ readiness for future challenges.
Recall that in Washington state nearly 2 million COVID-19 cases were confirmed from 2020 through March 2023, and 16,000 people died. The pandemic hit hospitals hard: according to a survey by the Washington State Hospital Association, they lost more than $4 billion from 2021 through 2024. Now medical institutions also expect a sharp reduction in Medicaid funding approved by Congress.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump advocates shifting more responsibility for disaster recovery to the states, reducing FEMA’s role in federal assistance. That policy is controversial, as payment delays have already caused financial strain on the health system, and Washington continues to seek timely reimbursement of expenses in the future.
Based on: WA gets $538M in delayed COVID-era payments from FEMA