The 2025 Legislative Session begins Jan. 12, and we have scheduled a Chiropractic Legislative Day on Thursday, Jan. 29. Chiropractors from across Washington State are asked to gather at the Capitol Legislative Building Rotunda (between the second and third floors) in Olympia from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This pivotal event provides an opportunity for chiropractic professionals to engage directly with state lawmakers and their legislative aides, advocating for policies that impact the profession and the patients they serve. Team up with your local chiropractic colleagues and attend together at your meetings with your legislators.
Please start requesting/making appointments with your legislators in December. Send an email to your legislators requesting a meeting to discuss chiropractic legislative agenda issues. In addition to meeting with your legislators at the State Capitol on Thursday Jan. 29th, consider reaching out to them in your district beforehand. Early meetings provide helpful background to legislators. Use the district finder link to locate your legislative district. You can find your legislators contact information and district details at leg.wa.gov.
Here is a summary of our 2026 legislative agenda:
Overpayment Recovery
RCW 48.43.600, originally passed by the WSCA in 2005, limits how long insurance carriers may recover overpayments (“claw-backs”). We propose limiting carrier recovery (“claw-back”) requests to six months – and extend to nine months only when a patient has coordinating benefits with more than one carrier. Currently they have 2 years.
Provider Contracting
In the 2023, 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions, the WSCA pursued a couple different pieces of legislation, one that would require insurers to provide annual fee increases based on the consumer price index and another that would require insurers conduct good faith contract negotiations with individual providers. Legislators understand our dilemma (nonnegotiable contracts and no fee increases in spinal adjustment codes in 20 years) but freak out when the insurers tell them premiums will increase $300 per member per month. Pure BS! To keep these issues alive, we’re currently exploring the possibility of a budget proviso from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) for the legislature to use to direct a research and study project on how insurers contract with providers, including how stagnant nonnegotiable reimbursement is impacting independent providers and assessment/understanding of true potential premium impact. This is a complicated process, but we need to try a different approach to accomplishing our goal. If we can make it happen, it would be a state-level policy study.
Animal Chiropractic
The Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission (CQAC) and the Veterinary Board of Governors (VBOG) formed a Joint Task Force on Animal Chiropractic to develop legislation both professions can support. This bill would allow chiropractors to adjust animals and receive payment for those services.
Physical Therapists as Attending Providers (L&I)
Currently, physical therapists (PTs) are not recognized as “attending providers” under Labor & Industries (L&I). In 2026, the American Physical Therapy Association – Washington Chapter (APTA-WA) intends to pursue legislation to change that. The WSCA has raised the issue of reciprocal referrals—chiropractors commonly refer to PTs, but PTs rarely refer to DCs. Ongoing discussions aim to address this imbalance within any proposed legislation.
Clean Claim Legislation
WAC 284-83-325, adopted in the 1990s under Commissioner Deborah Senn, requires insurers to promptly process and pay “clean” claims (those submitted with complete, accurate information). The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) plans to introduce legislation, moving these provisions from rule into statute, improving enforcement and strengthening provider protections. The WSCA will support this bill if it includes all providers.
Use of the Term “Doctor”
The Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) is expected to propose legislation restricting how non-physician health care professionals use the term “doctor.” Current law already requires that chiropractors identify themselves clearly (e.g., “Dr. Smith, Chiropractor”) to avoid patient confusion. The WSCA will monitor the proposed bill and oppose any unreasonable restrictions.
Remember, the success of the Washington State Chiropractic Association (WSCA), the Washington State Chiropractic Trust (WSCT) and the entire Washington state chiropractic profession hinges upon a strong working relationship between our profession and its external allies – especially state legislators. It is critical that you make appointments with your legislators for Legislative Day Jan. 30 and during the 60-day legislative session.
Why do we need both the WSCA and the Trust: Under their tax status, the WSCA can pay legislative lobbying expenses — but they are not allowed to make political contributions. The Trust tax status allows us to raise and contribute money to state political campaigns and political caucuses, opening the doors for the WSCA lobbying activities.) Your financial support of the WSCT and membership in the WSCA is EVERYTHING! You have and will continue to benefit from EVERYTHING that we do.
Thanks to all of you who have donated recently and/or are a regular contributor to the WSCT. You can donate here. Automatic recurring donations via credit card are especially appreciated.
— Dr. Dave Butters, President
Washington State Chiropractic Trust