What It Means to Be a KCMS Delegate — and What You’ll Help Lead
The KCMS Delegate Council is open to members of KCMS who want to help shape health policy in Washington State. As a delegate, you will:
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Help write and advance resolutions — formal policy proposals that KCMS submits to the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA).
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Collaborate on legislation that is also forwarded to our KCMS lobbyist, who advocates for these policies directly in Olympia.
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Work with healthcare professionals to identify key issues and propose actionable solutions.
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Join peers to guide local, regional, and statewide advocacy and public health strategy.
You don’t need to draft a resolution to get started — you can attend meetings, or reach out to us directly to share ideas and work with staff.
How It Works
- Bi-Monthly Zoom meetings (kickoff May 21, 2025) allow delegates to engage virtually.
- One in-person meeting (August) gives delegates the opportunity to finalize, refine, and vote on KCMS resolutions.
- KCMS resolutions are submitted to the WSMA House of Delegates, which will convene September 20–21, 2025, at the Westin in Bellevue. Delegates from across WA review, debate, and vote on proposals that shape healthcare policy.
- Even if you can’t attend every meeting, you can remain a delegate by emailing your input, participating in resolution review, or working with KCMS staff.
What We’ve Accomplished Together
In 2024, KCMS Delegates:
- Authored 20 resolutions on clinical access, public health, and system reform.
- Passed major wins on prior authorization reform, continuous glucose monitoring access, Medicaid coverage, and firearm injury prevention.
- Testified against harmful legislation that would have weakened physician and patient protections — helping prevent those changes from becoming law.
- Advanced initiatives supporting physician leadership, Medicaid reform, and preservation of telehealth access.
What You’ll Help Do in 2025
This year, KCMS Delegates will:
- Advocate for physician-led care models, and fair reimbursement.
- Promote climate-conscious policies and health equity.
- Support public health priorities and continue raising the voice of practicing physicians.
- Oppose legislation that threatens patient safety and physician leadership.
This work directly shapes the care patients receive. Whether you attend one meeting or all, your voice matters! Join us for our Delegate Council starting on Wednesday, May 21.
Reach out to begin crafting your resolution idea today to jfeikes@kcmsociety.org or info@kcmsociety.org
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The True Economic Burden of Mental Health Disorders: A Call for ParityWritten by: Drs. Donald Ross and Mark Levy
The economic burden of mental disorders rivals that of cardiovascular diseases and exceeds the costs of cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Mental health conditions cost the U.S. economy an estimated $47.6 billion annually in lost productivity due to unplanned absences, with total costs reaching $282 billion each year. Meanwhile, suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10-14 and 25-34 and the third leading cause among those aged 15-24.
Yet, despite these alarming statistics, true mental health parity remains an illusion.
Decades of Unfulfilled Promises
More than 60 years ago, in 1961, President Kennedy called for mental health parity in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program. Congress took another 35 years to pass the Mental Health Parity Act, and even then, true parity remained elusive. In 2008, lawmakers attempted to strengthen protections with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.
Yet, since then, suicides have increased by 30%, and drug overdose deaths have quadrupled (until a recent slight decline). What went wrong? While the opioid epidemic, the rise of synthetic opioids, and the loneliness crisis—exacerbated by COVID-19 and arguably social media—play a role, our so-called “health care system” is uniquely culpable.
The Systemic Sabotage of Mental Health Care
Despite the law’s intent, insurers have systematically undermined mental health care:
- Higher out-of-pocket costs: Patients often face higher copays for mental health visits than for other types of care.
- Restricted access: Prior authorization hurdles and inadequate provider networks make mental health care difficult to obtain.
- Insufficient coverage: Limits on the number of visits prevent adequate treatment.
- Underpayment of providers: Low reimbursement rates have worsened the shortage of mental health professionals in-network and out-of-network.
Consider This!
The 2025 Medicare reimbursement rate for a 60-minute mental health counseling visit is just $154.29. Medicaid pays only 81% of this rate. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office found that commercial and Medicare Advantage plans reimburse mental health providers 13-14% less than Medicare fee-for-service rates—while paying 12% more for other specialties. On average, office visits with medical/surgical clinicians receive 22% higher reimbursement than those for behavioral health.
A Broken System with Devastating Consequences
Given these economic realities, is it any surprise that:
- Nearly half of Washington state counties have zero psychiatrists or psychologists.
- Washington ranks 49th out of 50 states for inpatient psychiatric beds.
- As recently as 2022, the average wait time for a psychiatric appointment in Seattle was 73 days.
How Do We Fix This?
This crisis will not fix itself. Change must start with us. We must demand that insurers treat mental health care with the same urgency and equity as physical health care.
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Demand accountability from insurers. Insurers should not be allowed to underpay mental health professionals or impose arbitrary barriers to care. Contact Washington’s Insurance Commissioner and demand enforcement of parity laws.
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Push for policy changes. We need legislation that mandates fair reimbursement rates for mental health care—at the state and national levels. Get involved in advocacy efforts and support mental health reform bills.
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Expand access to care. More funding for inpatient psychiatric beds, community mental health programs, and mental health professional training is critical. Urge policymakers to invest in these resources.
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Speak up. Stigma still prevents people from seeking care. We must change the conversation around mental health and demand that it is treated with the same urgency as physical health.
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Join the movement. Physicians, healthcare professionals, and patients must unite to ensure mental health care is not just an afterthought but a priority. Support organizations working toward mental health parity, participate in advocacy efforts and push for change in your networks.
Mental health is not a luxury. It is not optional. It is essential.
At KCMS, we are acting. Our Delegate Council convenes on May 21st, providing physicians with a platform to advocate for meaningful policy changes at the state and national levels. Join us at KCMS today to be part of the fight for true mental health parity—because together, we can demand the changes our patients and communities deserve.
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Alan NguyenAlan Nguyen is a second-generation Vietnamese American, born in Renton and raised in White Center. He will begin medical school this fall as an OMS I student at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine. During his gap years, he worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant on the Cancer and Blood Disorder Inpatient Unit at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Alan hopes to return to King County as a pediatric physician to serve children and adolescents, particularly those from backgrounds similar to his own.
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Beneshia Robinson
Beneshia Robinson is a third-year medical student at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences with strong interests in general surgery and forensic pathology. She brings a nursing background that has shaped her commitment to compassionate care and patient advocacy. Beneshia is passionate about building a medical community that supports meaningful, patient-centered work.
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Cristina Luevano
Cristina Luevano will begin her medical school journey this fall at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. A Washington State native, she aspires to serve vulnerable communities in King County. Her interests include emergency medicine, pediatrics, public health, policy, and global health. Cristina hopes to one day open a free or low-cost clinic in rural Mexico, where her family is from. In her free time, she enjoys reading, walking her dog, exploring Washington State, and engaging in a variety of art hobbies.
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Ethan Hoang
Ethan Hoang, originally from San Diego, found a home in the PNW while earning his bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Washington Tacoma. He will begin medical school this summer at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences. Ethan has worked on habitat restoration projects with the Nisqually Tribe and conducted field surveys on the Big Quilcene and Duckabush Rivers. His time as an ER technician inspired hi,m. Outside of academics, he enjoys hiking, photography, and long-distance running.
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Consider submitting a commitment to climate action today:
Climate, Health, and Equity Movement
The Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector (Climate Collaborative) is committed to galvanizing a movement within the health sector to mitigate and adapt to climate change while centering on and maximizing human health and equity.
NAM invites you to participate as a Network Organization to extend the reach and impact of this work. Network Organizations, like KCMS, actively support and contribute to the work of the Climate Collaborative and: - Are listed on the Climate Collaborative’s webpage, along with an organizational “commitment statement” describing current and/or future work to address climate change, as well as a representative’s contact information.
- Receive regular updates on the work of the Climate Collaborative, including
priority invitations to public meetings and advance notice of new resources. - Have opportunities to provide input on Climate Collaborative activities.
- Receive communications tools.
- Receive networking and information-sharing opportunities.
You're encouraged to submit a one paragraph statement that outlines your institution's current and/or future work to address climate change.
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