BULLET N PIERCE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY | October 2026
Serving our members and community since 1888 www.PCMSWA.org
The Bulletin is a publication of: Pierce County Medical Society 1019 Regents Blvd Ste 202 Fircrest WA 98466 253.572.3667 www.pcmswa.org
CONTENTS October 2026
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President’s Message Blair Campbell, MD
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Save the Date for our Annual Holiday Party
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Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
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Join us for a PCMS Board meeting and our Annual Membership-Holiday Party
From the desk of Jay Miller, MD
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Call For Nominations and TPD Community Partnership
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In Memoriam
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Thank you to our sponsors
Pierce County Medical Society Delegates at the WSMA Annuual Meeting PCMS Member Delegate John Van Buskirk, DO
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Pierce County Medical Society (PCMS).
PRESIDENT’S
Message
Friends and Colleagues, Along with serving as president of the Pierce County Medical Society, I also serve as a director of Pierce County Project Access (PCPA). I see firsthand how this program helps uninsured members of our community access needed healthcare. Currently, we need more physicians and PAs to participate in our Donated Care program, and I’m asking for your help. PCPA connects uninsured Pierce County residents living at or below 300% of the federal poverty level with healthcare providers who pledge to donate a set number of appointments for specialty care. By donating our time and expertise, we can help patients overcome financial barriers and receive care they might otherwise go without. How Does Donated Care Work? Patients enter the program through a referral from their primary care provider and must also complete an application. PCPA verifies income and residency eligibility and, when a participating provider is available, coordinates the patient's first appointment. Interpreter services are available when needed, and patients can schedule follow-up visits directly with their specialty provider consistent with the providers participation agreement. Where we need your help. We are especially seeking providers in the following specialties: Optometry Rheumatology Vascular Surgery Hand Surgery Continuted next page
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By pledging appointments, you can make a meaningful difference in someone's health and quality of life without significantly changing your practice schedule. A donated appointment can provide answers, relieve suffering, and help a patient take an important step toward better health. Healthcare is more than a profession; it is a calling rooted in service to our patients and community. Together, we can help ensure that being uninsured does not mean going without needed specialty care. Please consider joining the PCPA Donated Care network. To learn more or express interest, contact Linda at linda@pcmswa.org or PCPA Director Michael Swenson at michael@pcprojectaccess.org. Learn more about the Pierce County Project Access Donated Care program.
Another program within PCPA is their Premium Assistance program. A significant number of Pierce, Yakima, and Kittitas County residents remain uninsured due to the high cost of premiums. The Premium Assistance Program helps bridge this gap by covering the monthly premiums for silver and gold-level Qualified Health Plans available through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. PCPA provides this support to residents of Pierce, Yakima, and Kittitas Counties who live at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Access with Impact The cost of health insurance premiums can be a major burden for many individuals and families—and often the very reason people go without coverage. To address this barrier, PCPA launched the Premium Assistance Program in 2015. Thanks to the continued generosity of our donors, we now sponsor health insurance premiums for more than 340 people across Pierce, Yakima, and Kittitas County, making it possible for individuals and families to access the care they need and deserve.
PIERCE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY
Save the Date Upcoming Events
NOVEMBER 10 · TUESDAY · 6:00 PM
Pierce County Medical Society — Board of Directors Meeting Open to all members. Join PCMS at our fourth quarter board of directors meeting. Location is TBD. Please RSVP to attend by emailing Linda@pcmswa.org
HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
PCMS Annual Holiday Celebration TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 Celebrate the season with your PCMS colleagues at Woven Seafood & Chophouse. 3017 Ruston Way, Tacoma, WA 98402 · Free parking available
Share the spirit of giving! Once again, we’ll be collecting donations for Toy Rescue Mission. Please bring an unwrapped gift for a child of any age to help make the holidays brighter for local families. Join us as we celebrate this year’s accomplishments, reconnect with colleagues, and look ahead to what’s in store for PCMS in 2027. We look forward to celebrating the season with you in December!
REGISTER HERE 5:00 p.m.
Drinks and appetizers
6:00 p.m.
Program begins
Save the Date and Join us! Questions? Contact us at: Tanya@pcmswa.org
Tacoma-Pierce County
Health Department Healthy People in Healthy Communities James “Jay” Miller, MD Tacoma-Pierce County Health Officer
BUILDING VACCINE CONFIDENCE: EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDANCE FOR RESPIRATORY ILLNESS SEASON As we move from summer to fall, we’re also looking ahead toward respiratory illness season and making sure we’re prepared to keep ourselves and our community healthy. I want to share some updates on immunization guidance given the changes in the federal landscape. Unfortunately, we can no longer rely on the federal government to provide evidence-based immunization guidance. Among other changes, the president recently signed an executive order to reduce the number of diseases for which children receive immunization and to split the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate vaccines. This effort goes against years of scientific evidence and is unlikely to be fully implemented. No other country in the world splits up measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination in this way. Pharmaceutical companies are also unlikely to invest in the production capacity for these individual vaccines. However, these actions create confusion and unwarranted doubt about vaccine safety in our community. At the Health Department, we remain committed to recommendations based on the best available science. For both childhood and adult immunization guidance, we continue to recommend that you follow guidance American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and Infectious Disease Society of America.
Tacoma-Pierce County
Health Department Healthy People in Healthy Communities
In this time of increased confusion and vaccine hesitancy, we rely on you more than ever. As with many things in medicine and public health, vaccine confidence often boils down to trust. A recommendation from a trusted physician can make a big difference, both in the clinic and in your community. In these conversations, I encourage you to share evidence, lead with empathy, seek to understand, and make it personal. I often emphasize that these are not just recommendations I make as a doctor or as Health Officer – I follow the AAP immunization guidance for my wonderful 2-year-old daughter, and plan to do the same for our baby who is arriving any day now. Please reach out to the Health Department with any immunization questions or issues you encounter – normally I say reach out to me, but I’ll be on parental leave from late September to early November. But I have a great team who will do their best to help! I wish you a happy fall and a fun and safe Halloween. I hope to see you at the PCMS Annual Meeting-Holiday Party on December 8th at Woven Seafood and Chophouse. Upcoming events at the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department: October 21 Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center Vaccine Clinic 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Oct 28 Second Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center Vaccine Clinic 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
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Click on the calendar for more events
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Healthy People in Healthy Communities
Visit us online: www.tpchd.org
ADVOCACY
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OCTOBER 2026
Advocating for our Patients Hello PCMS Members, PCMS was well represented at the annual WSMA House of Delegates meeting on September 26 and 27 in Spokane. Drs. Breck Lebegue, Laura Marshall, Blair Campbell, Marshall Kahnt, Anthony Chen, and I presented a total of four resolutions. All were adopted, at least in part. One example was our resolution calling on WSMA to publicly oppose Initiative 645, which would attempt to repeal the newly passed Millionaire’s Tax. Hopefully, with the support of WSMA’s 14,000 members, the initiative will fail, allowing an estimated $3.5 billion in first-year revenue to support initiatives that ultimately affect our patients’ health, including childcare, early childhood education, and other healthcare-related priorities. Here is the rationale: Income inequality, wealth inequality, and poverty profoundly impact health outcomes. Washington State has the second-most regressive tax system in the country. For example, the wealthiest 1% pay 4% of their income in state taxes, while those in the lowest 20% income bracket pay 13.9%. The WSMA strategic plan states, “…our advocacy work will focus on building…healthy population…” Implementing a Millionaire’s Tax would reduce economic inequity in Washington State while providing the resources needed to create a more robust safety net and, ultimately, improve health in our great state. The Washington State Legislature approved the “Millionaire’s Tax” (income tax on high earners) through Senate Bill 6346, which Governor Ferguson signed into law on March 30, 2026. The law imposes a 9.9% tax on personal income exceeding $1 million, excluding income from the sale of small businesses or real estate. Although signed into law in 2026, the tax takes effect on January 1, 2028, with the first payments due in 2029. The final bill passed by the Legislature directs significant revenue back to Washington families and small business owners. A few examples include: Free school meals: Funding for free breakfast and lunch for every K–12 student. This puts money back into families’ pockets and ensures children are ready to learn. Expansion of the Working Families Tax Credit: An additional 460,000 working families will qualify. Under this existing program, about 300,000 families receive a payment from the state ranging from $300 to $1,300. SB 6346 more than doubles the number of families who qualify. B&O tax relief for physician organizations: The bill cuts a 0.5% B&O tax surcharge on large physician organizations for one year earlier than under current law — on January 1, 2029, rather than December 31, 2029. This is expected to save physician organizations in our state $22 million. Investments in affordable childcare: SB 6346 ranks more than $320 million in affordable childcare during the first full biennium. Washington ranks fifth nationally in affordable childcare funding that will help provide relief to families.
ADVOCACY
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OCTOBER 2026
Why we should oppose Initiative 645 Elimination of sales tax on essential products: Eliminating sales tax on diapers, over-the-counter medications, and hygiene products will benefit Washingtonians, potentially saving families hundreds of dollars per year. Your PCMS delegation and WSMA strongly recommend that you vote NO on Initiative 645 and support this tax on very high earners, which will help improve health outcomes in our state. This is just one reason why it is important for all of us to vote in November to support our patients and our community. Respectfully submitted,
John Van Buskirk, DO PCMS Member Delegate
VOTE NO ON INITIATIVE 645 Support the tax on very high earners and protect health outcomes in our state.
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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Call for Nominations: Community Service Award We are currently accepting nominations for this year's Community Service Award. Nominate a deserving colleague—or yourself—who demonstrates outstanding commitment to the community. Please contact Linda Krause: linda@pcmswa.org
Partnering with the Tacoma Police Department PCMS has been partnering with the TPD Community Engagement Manager to support a variety of local community events, and volunteers are always needed! Here are some upcoming opportunities to get involved, connect with our community, and make a difference. We encourage you to participate and help us continue strengthening our community partnerships.
4th Annual Trunk or Treat In the Hosmer Business District — Saturday, October 24 from 11am–2pm in the parking lot of Kaiser Permanente (9505 S. Steele St.). There is still time to participate! OCTOBER 24
THANKSGIVING
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TURKEY GIVEAWAY
TPD and Friends Turkey Giveaway Tacoma Police Department (TPD) and Friends Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway. TPD has two locations for the turkey giveaways this year. If you would like to volunteer to give out turkeys or provide turkeys, let us know.
Tacoma Dome
Cheney Stadium
2727 East D Street, Tacoma, WA 98421 Tuesday, November 17 11:00am–1:00pm (while supplies last)
2502 S. Tyler Street, Tacoma, WA 98405 Saturday, November 21 11:00am–1:00pm (while supplies last)
In Memoriam John Richard (“Jack”) Alger, MD , was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, on November 24, 1928. After nearly 98 years of adventure, laughter and love, Jack died peacefully, surrounded by family, on September 18, 2026, in University Place, WA. Jack grew up in Grand Forks, North Dakota and enjoyed many escapades and mishaps while hunting, fishing, flying, and cultivating a section of farmland that he purchased as a teen. He started college at the age of 16 at the University of North Dakota. Once he was old enough to join the army, he took a break from his studies and enlisted, serving as a paratrooper, which he particularly enjoyed. After his service, Jack went on to complete his undergraduate degree and subsequently graduated from the Northwestern University School of Medicine in 1953. After an internship in Salt Lake City and surgical residencies at the University of Michigan Hospital, Jack moved his family to Tacoma to practice plastic and reconstructive surgery with Dr. Ernest ("Bud") Banfield. That practice eventually added two more surgeons and incorporated as Plastic Surgeons Northwest.
Jack met and married Joanne ("Obie") O'Brien in 1952. They raised a family of 5 children, whom Jack introduced to skiing, boating and fishing and his many other interests. After 25 years of marriage, Jack and Obie parted ways, but eventually became good friends before her death in 2000. Jack met and married Karen McKinney in 1985 and he became a parent again at the age of 60. Their son also shared in many of Jack's adventures, including travels to China, skiing, and fishing in Alaska and British Columbia. Jack and Karen divorced in 1992. Jack married his longtime friend and soulmate, Sharon Ann Lawson, in 2014. They enjoyed several happy years of travel, skiing, and fishing before Jack's declining health began to limit his activities. Sharon Ann was devoted to Jack's care and comfort and has been a wonderful stepmother and step-grandmother to his family. Jack was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Leon Alger; his mother, Agnes Johnson Vietti; his sister, Diane Alger; and his first wife, Obie. He is survived by his wife Sharon Ann Alger, his brother Dr. Dave Alger (Elizabeth), and sisters Bonnie Hetzel (Otto) and Joannie Udden (Larry). Jack's six children, Sue Alger Means (Paul), Steve Alger (Renae), Mike Alger (Anita), Mark Alger (Dawn), Lynn Alger Walker (Bob) and Luke Alger (Kelsey), 14 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren honor his memory and are so thankful for his long life and his legacy. Please join the family as we celebrate Jack's life on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Tacoma Yacht Club, 5401 Yacht Club Road, Tacoma, WA. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Smile Train, which were two charities that were important to Jack. Reprinted from Legacy.com
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