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Protecting Medical Integrity
Written by John Vassall, MD
As physicians we speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now depriving physicians and their patients of access to information, research and clinical trials; resources necessary for excellent medical care and for physicians and patients to make informed choices in disease management.
We physicians are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion into the lives and decisions of medical professionals and our patients regarding the ethical and legal pursuit of evidence-based care, cure, comfort and healing. We physicians urge our medical colleges and universities, medical associations and societies, institutions conducting medical research and delivering medical care, our elected and appointed public officials and our patients to reject the coercive use and punitive withholding of public research funding, attempts to inhibit the distribution of evidence-based scientific information and attempts to dictate the accreditation of medical schools and the training of physicians.
America's health care systems are as diverse and varied as the communities and patients they serve. Yet every physician and every patient in every town and health system in America shares the need for timely, accurate evidence-based information from credible unbiased sources, such as an unencumbered National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our medical colleges and universities share a commitment to teach and practice evidence-based medicine in an environment where scientific medicine is pursued and physicians, scientists, students, and staff are free from fear of retribution, censorship, loss of funding or deportation.
Every one of us has been the beneficiary of a medical miracle: a drug, vaccine or surgical procedure that we now take for granted. Creating these miracles requires effort and attention, time and treasure. If we hope and expect the flow of life-enhancing miracles to continue, we must each in our own way, large or small, resist efforts to hinder and usurp science, medicine and progress.
Dr. Vassall’s perspective reflects our shared commitment to protecting medical science and the physician-patient relationship. If you share these values, join KCMS.
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2025 Washington State Legislative Session
KCMS Legislative Summary & Strategic Insights
By Nancy L. Belcher, Ph.D., MPA |CEO KCMS
The 2025 session in Olympia was shaped by budget balancing, healthcare cost debates, and growing pressure to address access and equity during workforce shortages and rising patient needs. While Washington avoided a major shortfall and maintained a stable overall fiscal position, tough decisions were made about where to invest—and how to structure healthcare delivery in the future.
KCMS actively monitored and engaged on numerous bills this session, with the support of our lobbyist, James Paribello. These measures had direct implications for physician practice, public health infrastructure, and patient care. Several of our key priorities advanced meaningfully this year, as outlined below.
The Legislature passed the Medicaid Access Program (HB 1392), which would raise Medicaid reimbursement rates to at least Medicare levels. If enacted, the bill is projected to draw approximately $400 million in annual federal matching funds and improve primary and specialty care access. As of this writing, the bill has been delivered to Governor Bob Ferguson but has not yet been signed into law. KCMS strongly supports this effort.
KCMS also supported successful efforts to improve medical debt protections and expand access to behavioral health and substance use treatment—two areas where financial barriers have long disrupted patient care.
However, KCMS opposed the final version of the prior authorization reform bill, which was weakened from the patient-centered framework we originally supported. The final legislation eliminated the peer-to-peer review protections, and allowed AI-driven utilization review processes to proceed. It also opened the door to retroactive changes to prior authorization.
Looking ahead to the 2026 session, KCMS will continue advocating for policies that protect clinical leadership, expand equitable access, and ensure that healthcare reform reflects the realities of practice..
If you are a KCMS physician member and want to help shape this work, we invite you to join the KCMS Delegate Council. Your insight and advocacy help ensure physician voices drive healthcare policy in King County and Washington State.
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The Healthcare Imperative
Join Nancy Connolly, MD
May 27, 2025 09:00 in Pacific Time
Just as healthcare has long treated nutrition and exercise as essential to prevention, it’s time to elevate social connection as the third pillar of health. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General declared an epidemic of loneliness and isolation, warning that its health impact is comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
The evidence is clear: social disconnection is linked to a broad range of adverse outcomes—from depression and anxiety to heart disease, cognitive decline, and shortened lifespan. It also drives up healthcare costs through avoidable doctor visits and emergency room use.
Join Dr. Nancy Connolly, a practicing physician and the founding Executive Director for Community Health and Wellbeing at the U.S. Chamber of Connection, for a conversation on why the healthcare sector must lead the effort to reverse this growing crisis—and how we can rebuild social connection.
Drawing from the Chamber’s successful launch in Seattle and her own frontline experience as a clinician and policymaker, Dr. Connolly will share insights on:
- The current state of research linking health, well-being, and connection
- The business case for proactively investing in social connection
- The core systems we need to embed connection across society
Moderated by Aaron Hurst, founder of the U.S. Chamber of Connection, this session will present the Chamber's strategy to drive a national movement. It will challenge and equip healthcare leaders, policymakers, and community builders to treat social connection not as a soft issue—but as the next frontier of public health.
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🩸 New KCMS Hemophilia Education Initiative: Videos + Tools Now Available!
With support from Pfizer and the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation (NBDF), KCMS is proud to share a comprehensive set of educational resources designed to support shared decision-making (SDM) and raise awareness about emerging hemophilia therapies.
Over the past several months, we surveyed healthcare professionals across specialties to better understand knowledge gaps and real-world barriers in hemophilia care. In response, we developed practical, clinic-ready tools tailored to the needs of both clinicians and patients.
Short-Form Video Series (16 videos) that cover:
1) Gene therapy, rebalancing agents, and non-factor treatments
2) Comparative treatment options
3) How to engage patients in collaborative decision-making
Watch the full KCMS Hemophilia Education Video Playlist
Five Printable Educational Tools:
1) A decision aid for conversations about treatment
2) A visual comparison of therapy types
3) A treatment discussion checklist
4) Key facts about emerging options
5) Tips for engaging in SDM across diverse populations
Download the full PDF
Explore the Full Initiative Online
All videos, tools, and additional resources are now available on our dedicated KCMS hemophilia education webpage, which includes:
*Survey insights and background
🔗 Visit the Hemophilia Education Webpage
These materials were shaped by your input and are now ready to be used in clinical settings, educational programs, and as take-home resources for patients and families. We are deeply grateful to the healthcare professionals who contributed their expertise and insights to this initiative. Together, we are advancing a more informed, collaborative, and equitable approach to hemophilia care.
This collection represents the full scope of our planned work, and we hope it will continue to empower both healthcare professionals and the communities they serve—long after the formal conclusion of the project.
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