WPHP Last Posted Tax Return

Washington has implemented the Uniform Disciplinary Act under Chapter 18.130 RCW to provide uniformity to most health care professions in disciplinary proceedings.  Then, for every licensure there is a surcharge collected to fund the implementation of a substance abuse monitoring program for respective license holders, to include “impairment.”  The simple dictionary definition of “impairment” applies when the statute does not specifically define it, as here, which is much broader than impairment from substance abuse.

RCW 18.130.175 outlines a system, or rather the “relationship” between the professional health board/commission/program and the health monitoring program, to include any “potentially impairing health condition.”   All at the cost of the license holder, and under threat of discipline if referred to the monitoring program by the disciplining authority.

Of course, the licensing body has a duty to protect the public first, then to rehabilitate the practitioner if possible, but at what financial cost and who really holds the power? 

The Washington Physicians Health Program (“WPHP”), the monitoring program for the Washington Medical Commission to be doctors, dentists, veterinarians, and physician assistants, posts that most insurance polices do not provide coverage for WPHP services. 

WPHP is technically a charitable tax-exempt organization (EIN 91-1381840), with its last posted tax return filing from 2019, it is certainly doing well.

In 2019, its Medical Director at the time (and currently), Chris Bundy, MD, MPH, was compensated with pay and benefits valued at $369,799.  Its Associate Medical Director at the time (and currently), Laura Moss, MD, was compensated with pay and benefits valued at $253,836.  That same year, WPHP provided financial relief to license holders for a total cash grant of $13,570.  While its total revenue just outpaces its expenses by about $275,000, it reported net assets of $5,480,297 in 2019.

It should perhaps, given its primary mission to rehabilitate licensees, reconsider more grants for financial hardship to licensees, to say the least. 

RCW 18.130.186

RCW 18.130.175