| weekly_rounds_october_30_2020_let_the_physician_voice_be_heard_vote_today | Weekly Rounds: October 30, 2020 - Let the Physician Voice be Heard: Vote Today | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Weekly_Rounds/2020/weekly_rounds_october_30_2020_let_the_physician_voice_be_heard_vote_today | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>October 30, 2020</h5>
<h2>
Let the Physician Voice be Heard: Vote Today
</h2>
<p>Jennifer Hanscom, Executive Director/CEO</p>
<p>
With election day looming next Tuesday, it feels like there's a lot that's up in the air. How will our country respond to the pandemic? Will the Supreme Court overturn the Affordable Care Act? What's next in terms of health care reform? Every four years we hear that this is the most important election of our lifetime, but if there ever was a time that was true, 2020 has to be the year.
</p>
<p>
I was surprised and frankly dismayed by a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2772243">report in JAMA last week</a> that found that less than 50% of physicians vote. Granted, they were only looking at data from New York, Texas, and California, so I'd like to think that our state's participation rates would be higher. But based on the report, physicians in those states vote at a rate that's 14% lower than the general public, so we'd have to be doing quite a bit better for me to feel good about physician participation in elections!
</p>
<p>
If you haven't voted or even registered to vote yet, the good news is it's not too late. You can check whether you're registered and find more information about how to vote on the <a href="https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/register.aspx">secretary of state's website</a>. If you're interested in information about how your state legislators voted on the bills most important to the house of medicine, check out our 2020 Legislator Report Card (available here under 2020 Legislative Report). And if you've got questions about anything pertaining to elections, you can contact WSMA's Director of Government Affairs Sean Graham at <a href="mailto:sean@wsma.org">sean@wsma.org</a>.
</p>
<p>
As the returns come in on Tuesday, everyone's focus will understandably be on the presidential election. WSMA engages in races down the ballot and across the state through WAMPAC, our non-partisan political arm, so we'll be looking at things through a broader lens. Here are a few of the races we'll be watching closely:
</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>8th Congressional District</strong>
<ul>
<li>This is the first reelection campaign for Rep. Kim Schrier, MD (D-Issaquah), a Virginia Mason pediatrician who is the only physician holding state or federal office in Washington. She faces a Republican challenger who is not well known, but the 8th is very much a swing district and pundits figure this race will be close.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>10th Congressional District </strong>
<ul>
<li>When the 10th Congressional District was created in 2012, it was designed to be a swing seat. But by a confluence of factors things have shifted so dramatically that this open seat race is an intraparty affair, with two Democrats facing off. Former Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland is running against state Rep. Beth Doglio, whose husband is a family physician.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Lieutenant governor </strong>
<ul>
<li>Another intraparty contest where Rep. Denny Heck (D-Olympia) is squaring off against state Sen. Marko Liias (D-Mukilteo). The lieutenant governor office is largely a ceremonial post, presiding over the state Senate and filling in for the governor when they're out of state. But it's drawn more focus this year due to speculation that Gov. Jay Inslee may find himself appointed to a federal position should Joe Biden be elected, hence the lieutenant governor would ascend, at least temporarily, to serve as governor.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>State Legislature </strong>
<ul>
<li>Democrats will likely retain control of the state House and Senate in Olympia, but what those majorities will look like and focus on is not yet clear. With 126 legislative races on the ballot across the state this year, it's difficult to distill things down to a digestible size. But there are two state Senate races that will have outsized influence on how things look in Olympia next year.
<ul>
<li>In the Issaquah-area 5th Legislative District, moderate Democrat state Sen. Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) is being challenged by Ingrid Anderson, a nurse who is a more progressive Democrat. Millions of dollars will be spent on the seat before all is said and done, with business groups favoring Mullet and labor unions supporting Anderson.</li>
<li>In Pierce County's 28th Legislative District, state Sen. Steve O'Ban (R-University Place) is being challenged by T'wina Nobles, a Democrat who is president of the Tacoma Urban League. Health care policy has featured prominently in the race, in part due to O'Ban's position as the lead Republican on the Senate Health Care Committee.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>
I know some people feel as though their voice and vote don't matter, but the reality is, every vote counts. Sometimes a race is decided by the casting of just one vote. Let the physician voice be heard at the ballot box—take action to vote today!
</p>
</div> | 10/30/2020 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| how_to_prepare_to_enroll_in_the_covid_19_vaccination_program | How to Prepare to Enroll in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2020/October/how_to_prepare_to_enroll_in_the_covid_19_vaccination_program | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-md-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2020/May/COVID-19-Response-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="COVID-19 Response logo" />
</div>
<h5>October 28, 2020</h5>
<h2>
How to Prepare to Enroll in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program
</h2>
<p>
The Washington State Department of Health is rapidly preparing a COVID-19 vaccine response to be ready as soon as a safe and effective vaccine is available. As part of this effort, the DOH is developing an online tool for physicians and providers to enroll in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program in order to administer and order vaccines. Physician enrollment is expected to begin in November. To prepare for enrollment, the DOH asks that you review the following materials to ensure you take the necessary steps in anticipation of the vaccine’s availability.
</p>
<ul>
<li> <a href="https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/348-768-PreparingEnrollment_COVID19VaccineProvider.pdf" target="_blank">Preparing to Enroll in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program</a> </li>
<li> <a href="https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/698-001-ProvidersAuthorizedVaccineAdministration.pdf" target="_blank">Providers Authorized to Administer and Order Vaccines</a> </li>
<li> <a href="https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/PreparingEnrollment_COVID19VaccineProvider_SlideDeck.pdf" target="_blank">Preparing to Enroll Slide Deck</a> </li>
<li> <a href="https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/PreparationChecklist_COVID19VaccineProvider.pdf" target="_blank">COVID-19 Program Provider Preparation Checklist</a> </li>
</ul>
<p>
If you have questions about the enrollment process, contact the COVID-19 Vaccine Response Team at <a href="mailto:covid.vaccine@doh.wa.gov">covid.vaccine@doh.wa.gov</a>.
</p>
</div> | 10/28/2020 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| general_election_ballots_are_here_time_to_vote | General Election Ballots Are Here - Time to Vote! | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/20201022/general_election_ballots_are_here_time_to_vote | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-md-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2020/October/King-Co-Ballot-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Ballot envelopes" />
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<h5>October 22, 2020</h5>
<h2>General Election Ballots Are Here - Time to Vote!</h2>
<p>
Ballots for the general election on Nov. 3 were mailed on Oct. 16 - and likely arrived in your mailbox earlier this week. As a reminder, online or mail voter registration must be received eight days before Election Day on Oct. 26.
</p>
<p>
While filling out your ballot, make sure to have your WAMPAC Legislator Report Card, included as part of the 2020 WSMA Legislative Report, nearby for reference. The report card shows how state lawmakers voted on key WSMA priority bills in 2019 and 2020, on issues such as the business and occupation tax increase, telemedicine payment parity, prior authorization, and more. If you don't have the report card handy, <a href="[@]WSMA/Advocacy/WAMPAC/WSMA/Advocacy/WAMPAC/WAMPAC.aspx?hkey=269c3c03-cf72-4568-be5b-7893557300a7">download it from the WSMA website</a>.
</p>
<p>
With the election season in its final stretch, consider a donation to WAMPAC - there's still time to take advantage of our special election cycle $100 membership rate offer to join the WAMPAC Diamond Club. You'll receive all of the perks of club membership, while supporting the PAC that supports you. <a href="[@]WSMA/Advocacy/WAMPAC/Give_to_WAMPAC.aspx">Join the club today</a>.
</p>
</div> | 10/22/2020 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |