Dr. Chris Bundy, Executive Director of the Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP), participated in the 2026 Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) Annual Legislative Summit at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, advocating on behalf of physicians and the patients they serve.

The Summit is an advocacy event that brings together Washington physicians, physician assistants, residents, and medical students to engage directly with state legislators on critical health care policy priorities. The day featured insights from health policy leaders, robust discussion of WSMA’s legislative agenda, and in-person meetings between WSMA members and their district legislators. Gov. Bob Ferguson also attended the event.

WSMA President Bridget Bush, MD, FASA, opened the Summit with welcoming remarks, followed by an overview of WSMA’s legislative priorities. Dennis Worsham, Secretary of Health, shared updates from the Washington State Department of Health, while WSMA’s government affairs team provided an overview of the legislative landscape and priority issues. Ryan Moran, Director of the Washington State Health Care Authority, spoke, and a panel discussion featured legislative health care leaders Rep. Dan Bronoske, Sen. Ron Muzzall, and Rep. Joe Schmick.

During the Summit, Dr. Bundy met with Sen. Javier Valdez and Rep. Gerry Pollet to discuss WSMA’s legislative priorities and other issues of critical importance to the medical profession.

Throughout the day, WSMA members advocated for several key legislative priorities, including:

• Preserving Physician Practices and Patient Access to Care: Supporting budget priorities that help keep physician practices viable and ensure continued patient access to care, including reforms to prior authorization and insurance payments, and addressing the impact of the B&O tax on physician practices.
• Scope of Practice: Opposing scope of practice proposals that ignore the unique training of physicians, fail to include necessary education and training requirements, and could jeopardize patient safety.
• Preserving Access to Preventive Services and Immunizations: Supporting HB 2242/SB 5967 to preserve access to preventive services, including immunizations, for individuals enrolled in health plans regulated by the Office of the State Insurance Commissioner and those who access vaccines through Washington state’s Childhood Vaccine Program.
• Improving Transparency in Health Care Professional Titles: Supporting HB 2261/SB 611, consumer protection legislation designed to improve transparency in health care professional titles and ensure clarity for patients.

The Summit highlighted the collective impact of physician advocacy and underscored WSMA’s commitment to advancing its 2026 legislative priorities on behalf of Washington’s medical community and the patients they serve. Working together ensures a healthier future for Washington state!

Pictured with Dr. Bundy (left to right): Sarah Brown, MD, FASA, Pediatric Anesthesiologist at Seattle Children’s; Nancy Connolly, MD, MPH, Internal and Addiction Medicine at the University of Washington.