The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma and allergic diseases through education, advocacy and research.  AAFA is committed to promoting legislative and regulatory policies on behalf of those with asthma and allergic disease. 

AAFA’s vision is to be a recognized leader in advancing policies that meet our mission and goals.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1.Promote access to affordable, quality health care for the treatment and management of asthma and allergies in all patients. 
Access to health care services and products is the centerpiece of appropriate treatment and management for patients with asthma and allergies.  Yet, patients and their families face challenges in accessing the care they need by lack of access to affordable comprehensive health insurance.  They may also face hurdles if the care they need is not available in their neighborhood or regions, or because of language, educational, economic and ethnic barriers in access to care. 

AAFA considers access to affordable quality health care as the fundamental next step in assuring equitable asthma and allergy care.  AAFA works with providers, families, educators, researchers, payors, and leaders to promote better treatment and management for asthma and allergy patients.

2. Maximize basic, clinical, preventive and health services research funding.
Federal funding mechanisms in asthma and allergy are complicated to monitor and difficult to assess particularly from the viewpoint of the patient.  An important role of our public policy program is to delineate federal initiatives and responsibilities and provide reports and assistance to concerned stakeholders. 

We believe that government must engage the voice of patients as it plans and funds research.  AAFA participates in a number of coalitions that work to increase government funding of biomedical and public health research, and promote evidence-based medicine.

3. Promote prevention, screening, environment and lifestyle interventions that reduce the incidence and adverse effects of asthma and allergies.  
Public programs should encourage payments for screening and detecting asthma and severe allergies.  However, the important role played by prevention should not be minimized in public funding. 

AAFA endorses approaches that address causes of asthma and allergies, from programs to fight childhood obesity to smoking cessation interventions to outdoor and indoor environmental health regulations. Meaningful intervention need not always be restrictive and should point to market-based incentives and public-private collaboration.

FEDERAL SPOTLIGHT

AAFA Supports:

• Patients transitioning to safe, effective, environmentally friendly metered dose inhalers
• Improving access to care, targeted towards children and the uninsured
• Increasing federal funding for research
• Eliminating health disparities
• Comparative effectiveness research that uses the best available scientific evidence in balance with individual needs.
• Protecting a patient’s right to access safe, effective medications and treatments
• Improving indoor and outdoor environments
• Protecting the health of patients in schools, at home, in public spaces and at work

STATE AND LOCAL FOCUS

AAFA supports state and local initiatives to promote:

• access to affordable quality health care
• prevention, screening and lifestyle interventions that reduce the incidence and adverse effects of asthma and allergies
• healthy environments in schools and other public venues

AAFA endorses state and local collaboration by public and private stakeholders with AAFA Chapters, support groups and other patient groups to create and sustain community level asthma and allergy management plans and programs.