KCMS Delegate Council

KCMS Delegate Council Process & Timeline – 2025

✨ Be a Voice for Change — Without Giving Up Your Day Job✨

Being a KCMS Delegate doesn’t require hours of free time, but it does give you real power to shape the future of healthcare. Whether passionate about improving access, reducing administrative burdens, or advancing equity, the Delegate Council gives you a seat at the table where ideas become action.

With guidance from KCMS staff and support from your peers, you can help write, refine, and advocate for policies that go all the way to the state level — and beyond. Here’s how it works, step by step:

Stage 1: Kickoff & Collaboration

First Meeting: May 21, 2025

The Delegate Council convenes to begin the 2025 policy cycle.
KCMS members of WSMA are invited to bring ideas forward for new resolutions.
Resolutions must have at least two physician authors to be eligible for submission.
To ensure consistency and proper endorsement, all KCMS resolutions must be submitted by staff on behalf of the organization. Individual physicians may not submit resolutions using the KCMS name without formal review and approval.

Stage 2: Drafting & Refinement (May–July)

Authors collaborate with KCMS staff to:
- Draft a clear, actionable resolution language.
- Align with WSMA formatting requirements. HERE is the outline for resolutions.
- Review WSMA policies to avoid duplication. HERE is the WSMA Compendium.
KCMS Staff send vetted resolutions to WSMA staff for insights.

Stage 3: KCMS Delegate Council Review (August)

Draft resolutions are circulated to KCMS delegates via SurveyMonkey for a formal vote.
If a resolution receives a majority “yes” vote, KCMS endorses it and submits it to WSMA with the KCMS name and support.
If a resolution does not pass, the authors may still submit it to WSMA, but without KCMS endorsement.

Stage 4: Submission to WSMA

August 9, 2025 – Deadline to submit resolution for inclusion in the Delegate Handbook.
August 20, 2025 – Final resolution deadline (post-deadline resolutions require a 2/3 HOD approval vote to be considered).
KCMS staff finalize the submission of all endorsed and independent resolutions before these deadlines.

Stage 5: Delegate Handbook Preparation

August 29, 2025 – WSMA publishes the official Delegate Handbook at wsma.org
Delegates must read, review, and prepare to discuss all proposed resolutions.

Stage 6: WSMA House of Delegates Meeting

Meeting Dates: September 20–21, 2025 – Westin Bellevue
At the HOD, each resolution may be:

Adopted as written
Adopted with amendments
Referred to committee for further review
Not adopted

KCMS typically has a strong presence and submitted 20 resolutions in 2024, many of which were adopted in full or in part.

Stage 7: Post-HOD Review

KCMS reviews WSMA decisions and evaluates the status of each submitted resolution.
Resolutions adopted by the HOD may be selected by WSMA leadership for legislative advocacy.

Stage 8: Legislative Advocacy & Ongoing Engagement

Following the WSMA House of Delegates meeting, WSMA typically identifies three priority issues to champion during the upcoming legislative session. Some KCMS resolutions may not be selected for focused WSMA advocacy.
When that happens, KCMS continues to support these important issues independently, working through our dedicated lobbyist, who represents our members throughout the full legislative cycle.
We value our strong partnership with WSMA and try to collaborate to advance shared policy goals. When bills evolve in ways that differ from our local priorities or original resolution language, KCMS may take an advocacy approach to ensure those perspectives remain part of the broader conversation.
Thanks to a KCMS-authored resolution adopted by WSMA in 2024, WSMA now provides ongoing updates to county medical societies about the status of their WSMA submitted resolutions during the legislative process. This ensures continued transparency and helps support coordinated advocacy efforts.

Your Voice Matters

The KCMS Delegate Council is more than a policy body — it’s a platform for physicians to lead, advocate, and shape the future of healthcare in our region and across Washington State. From idea generation to legislative action, each process step is designed to ensure that your experiences help drive meaningful change.

Whether your resolution becomes state policy or sparks local conversation, your participation makes a difference. We are building a stronger, more equitable healthcare system — one resolution at a time.

We’re proud of our progress and energized by the work still ahead.

Delegate Lists

Central

Yasmin Shayesteh, MD
Amish Dave, MD
Zannah Herridge-Meyer, MD
Bruce Smith, MD
Greg Engel, MD
Matthew Grierson, MD
Vincent Picozzi, MD

East

Richard Kaner, MD
Mark Levy, MD
Kevin Johnson, MD
Mark Vossler, MD
Samir Master, MD
Teresa Girolami, MD
Sara Pauk, MD
Megha Rao, MD

North

Michelle Terry, MD
Donald Ross, MD
Hope Wechkin, MD
Ray Hsiao, MD
Chris Belcher, MD
Ellen Passloff, MD
Nancy Connolly, MD
Ellen Thomason Derrick, MD
Shane Macaulay, MD
Mona Kathuria, DO

Southeast

Rajneet S. Lamba, MD
Daniel Low, MD
Anna Walton, MD
Sara Pauk, MD
Rajesh Subramanian, MD
Irene Young, MD
Julia Murray, MD

Southwest

Jeffrey Frankel, MD
David C. Green, MD
Mary Ellen Walker, MD
Barry Grosskopf, MD
Mark Flannery, MD
Gregory Engel, MD
Erin Bauer, MD
Ian Smith, DO

How the Delegate Council Works:

KCMS Delegates who are also members of WSMA are eligible to serve as representatives in the WSMA House of Delegates (HOD). As the largest voting bloc within the HOD, KCMS delegates carry significant influence in shaping WSMA’s legislative priorities and statewide healthcare policy.

The KCMS Delegate Council conducts its core work from spring through September, and all KCMS members are encouraged to share feedback during the resolution development process. Even if you are not serving as a delegate, there are additional opportunities to participate through WSMA’s Virtual Reference Committees and public testimony during the HOD meeting, ensuring a broad range of voices are heard.

After months of open meetings and opportunities for input, the KCMS Caucus at the WSMA Annual Meeting is reserved exclusively for KCMS Delegates. This closed session allows delegates to align on strategy and priorities in advance of formal HOD proceedings—consistent with the purpose of a caucus: a focused, internal meeting of voting members to plan and act with unity.

King County Medical Society has recently advocated for:

🏆 KCMS Policy Wins & Ongoing Priorities

Increasing Access to Behavioral Health Services (ongoing)
Protecting Physicians Who Provide Access to Reproductive Care (ongoing)
Advocating for Full Access to Reproductive Health Services (ongoing)
Expanding Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Primary & Specialty Care (in progress)
Reforming Prior Authorization to Reduce Administrative Burden (in progress)
Preventing Scope Creep and Opposing Equal Pay Legislation Regardless of Training Level (ongoing)
Advancing Health Equity in Policy Review and Development (in progress)
Telemedicine Payment Parity Secured ✅ (achieved)
WA State Healthcare Worker Vaccine Verification System Created ✅ (achieved)
WA Office of Firearm Safety & Injury Prevention Established ✅ (opened 2022)
Mandatory Lead Testing in Public Schools Enacted ✅ (achieved)
County Medical Society Collaboration Requirement Adopted by WSMA ✅ (achieved — 2024 resolution)
Regular Resolution Status Updates from WSMA to Counties ✅ (new policy — 2024 resolution)

As an active delegate, you can:

💡 How You Can Get Involved as a Delegate or Advocate

Bring forward a resolution or initiative that reflects an issue you care about or want to see addressed.
Participate in Delegate Council meetings to collaborate on crafting thoughtful, effective policy proposals.
Engage with elected officials by sharing your perspectives through calls, emails, written policy recommendations, or direct meetings.
Join our advocacy efforts by contributing to op-eds, interviews, podcasts, or other public-facing platforms.
Attend key events, including meetings with legislators and the WSMA Annual Meeting, to represent your voice and priorities.
Encourage your colleagues to join KCMS — the greater our numbers, the greater our collective impact.

Why Become a KCMS Delegate? Help Shape the Future of Medicine.

KCMS engages in meaningful legislative advocacy through the leadership of its dedicated lobbyist, James Paribello, and maintains strong relationships with local, state, and federal officials to ensure that physicians’ voices are heard, respected, and reflected in healthcare policy.

The KCMS Delegate Council plays a vital role in this process, ensuring that the unique perspectives of King County physicians inform the laws and regulations that affect both providers and patients. Delegates help shape resolutions, participate in advocacy, and influence decision-making at the state level and beyond.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we encourage you to get involved. Email us at info@kcmsociety.org to learn more or express your interest.

What You Gain as a KCMS Delegate

Shape the Future – Contribute to impactful resolutions and legislative efforts that improve healthcare delivery and physician well-being.
Represent Your Peers – Be a trusted voice for physicians and the communities we serve.
Flexible Involvement – Participate in ways that fit your schedule; KCMS supports delegates at every level of engagement.
Build Community – Collaborate with dedicated peers, share insights, and grow within a network of physician leaders.