Sign out
Michael W Balfe, MD
I speak: English, Spanish
My gender: Male
Where I practice
About me
I was born at San Diego Naval Hospital, and I grew up on five acres in the countryside east of Portland, Oregon, among the quondam woods and berry fields, above the Sandy River. I graduated with a B.A. degree in history at University of Oregon, where I also did my pre-med requirements, and attended Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland. At home, it's just me, and my pets, tame and otherwise, and lots of books.
About my practice
After being in lock-step progression toward entering law school, I wanted more from life than to spend my time surrounded by paper. I met a family practice doctor in the medical community and decided that this field could be both fun and intellectually challenging. I'd had exposure to Kaiser Permanente in different cities over the years, and known friends and relatives who were members, and I was always impressed. Health-care economics articles often present the evolving Kaiser way as a great example of how to solve problems in delivering excellent patient care. Patients' concerns and their decisions about their health care come first. In my practice, my patients range from adolescents up to the advanced elderly. I like learning about people, their lives and concerns, health- and non-health-related. While I can listen, inquire, consult and advise, my patients ultimately decide.
How I thrive
Walking is a favorite pastime. I often walk to the local pioneer cemetery. It's quiet and pastoral, and makes me realize how fleeting the current moment is. I love going to restaurants, and I enjoy doing sporadic seasonal gardening, usually with the big assist of a landscaper. Each year I grow vegetables and plant seasonal flowering tropical plants, especially vines - I just wish the growing season here lasted longer.
My office
Referral requirements
You don’t need a referral to see this providerLanguages spoken by medical staff
Help is available in your language. Learn more.
Medical groups, locations, and plans
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan - Wa
Olympia Medical Center
Plans and networks accepted
- Access PPO
- Boeing HMO Network
- Core
- Elect PPO
- Medicare Advantage HMO Anchor IND Part D
- Medicare Advantage HMO Group
- Medicare Advantage HMO GRP Part D
- Medicare Advantage HMO IND Part D
- Medicare Advantage HMO Individual
- Microsoft
- Options
- Options Federal
- Providence Caregivers
- SoundChoice
- Summit PPO
- Swedish Caregivers
- Virtual Plus - Connect Network
Contact information
- Appointment/Information
- 1-877-752-0423 (toll free)
- Appointment/Information
- 360-923-7000
- Fax
- 360-923-7089
- TTY Washington Relay Service
- 1-800-833-6388 (toll-free TTY for the hearing/speech impaired)
My training, certifications & licensing
Medical school
University of Oregon in PortlandBoard certification
Family Medicine
American Board of Family MedicineTo verify board certification for an individual practitioner, please visit the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Medical Association, or the American Osteopathic Association websites.
Medical training
Internship
California Pacific Medical CenterResidency
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center - HardJoined Kaiser Permanente
2019Provider ID
015669License information
Look up this clinician’s credentials at the Washington State Department of Health website.
National Provider Identifier (NPI)
1003970021Cultural Competency Training (CCT)
Kaiser Permanente providers complete accredited cultural competency training.My hospitals
This information is not available at this time.
The information in this online directory is updated periodically. The availability of physicians, hospitals, providers, and services may change.
If you are looking for a hospital or emergency services and are unable to find a provider close to you, please call our Member Services department at 1-888-901-4636 for assistance in finding an in-network alternative.
To report discrepancies in our provider directory information or if you need additional assistance, please contact our Member Services department by phone at 1-888-901-4636 (TTY 1-800-833-6388 or 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Or contact us electronically.
How we choose our network providers and hospitals
Kaiser Permanente uses the same quality, member experience, or cost-related measures to select practitioners and facilities in Marketplace Silver-tier plans as it does for all other Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (KFHP) products and lines of business, and uses the same geographic distribution consideration to select hospitals in Marketplace plans as it does for all other Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (KFHP) products and lines of business. The measures may include, but are not limited to, HEDIS/CAHPS performance, member/patient complaints, patient safety scores, hospital quality measures, and geographic need. Members enrolled in KFHP Marketplace plans have access to all professional, institutional and ancillary health care providers who participate in KFHP plans' contracted provider network, in accordance with the terms of the members' KFHP plan of coverage. All Kaiser Permanente Medical Group physicians and network physicians are subject to the same quality review processes and certifications.
A narrow network is defined as a tailored, tiered, or high-performance network that has 80 percent or less overlap with a health plan’s broadest network offered to a member in any type of plan offered by that health plan. Kaiser Permanente does not have a narrow network with respect to its Marketplace plans. Members enrolled in Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (KFHP) Marketplace plans have access to the same provider networks as members enrolled in all other KFHP plans.
Search Tips
- Can’t find your provider? Additional facilities can be found by searching under Locations.
- Check your spelling.
- Broaden your search by using fewer words or more general words.
- Remove any location information from the search terms box.
- Search by practitioner name (ex. ‘John Smith’ instead of ‘Steel City Chiropractic Group’).
- Try searching by specialty.
08/01/2025