Rulemaking Begins to Reduce Physician and PA License Renewal Fees

Updated Aug. 10* – The Washington State Department of Health has initiated a rulemaking to adjust licensure fees for allopathic physician and physician assistants, responding to years of advocacy on the part of the WSMA to reduce renewal fees. This is welcome news for the state’s physician community, and we will be engaging in the rulemaking process, encouraging meaningful fee reductions.

In 2019, license renewal fees for allopathic physicians and physician assistants were increased significantly over the strong objection of the WSMA and others who noted at the time that the fee increase was harmful to licensees and would result in a budget surplus for the commission. Unfortunately, those concerns have been realized with the commission regularly running a surplus that has become a target for diversion for legislators amid ongoing state budget challenges.

Reducing license renewal fees will help bring our state’s fees in line with those of other states. Allopathic physicians in Washington state pay the fifth highest license renewal fee across states, more than double the national average and more than four times as high as bordering states. Lowering renewal fees will help promote workforce and hopefully help obviate future budgetary diversions of funds from their intended purpose.

*The article has been corrected to note that the Washington State Department of Health, not the Washington Medical Commission, has initiated rulemaking.