Legislation and Advocacy
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The mission of PAAA includes advocacy for patients with allergic, asthmatic, and immunologic disorders in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As one of the major specialties represented in the Specialty Leadership Cabinet of the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED), PAAA has a strong voice in Harrisburg. Also, through the Federation of Regional, State, and Local Allergy, Asthma & Immunologic Societies (RSLAAIS), PAAA communicates issues to and from our national organizations who have representatives that monitor federal issues and speak with legislators in Washington on behalf of allergists.
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Through collaboration with other medical societies and communication between local, state, and regional allergy societies, PAAA has advocated for newborn infants with Primary Immunodeficiency, students with food allergy, and patients who require expensive specialty pharmacy drugs. Listed below are some of PAAA’s legislative and regulatory priorities. The Association is dedicated to monitoring and addressing issues that affect our specialty and our patients.
Current Issues
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June 2017
Sterile Compounding PAAA and PAMED submitted comments to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission in May 2017. PAAA specifically asked for:
http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/regulations/RegSrchRslts.cfm?ID=3174 (IRRC compounding regulations webpage) |
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House Bill 1293: Prior Authorization of Medical Services in PA
Do you have patients whose care has been delayed because of prior authorization decisions from insurance plans? A bill before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives aims to improve response times by increasing transparency and standardization of the prior authorization process.
We need your help in supporting House Bill 1293. PAAA, the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and our coalition partners are looking for patients to share their story and continue building support for HB 1293. Here are ways you can help:
Contact your House member through the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Voter Voice and ask him/her to support House Bill 1293.
Ask your patients who have experienced delays from prior authorization decisions from health plans to share their story on the Pennsylvania Medical Society website.
Distribute the materials you received from PAMED to your patients who are experiencing problems with prior authorization. If you didn't receive the materials, you can print them from PAMED's prior authorization page.
SB 25: CRNP Independent Practice
Passed the PA Senate and moves to the House of Representatives.
National Advocacy
HR 2285: School-Based Respiratory Health Management Act
Representative Phil Roe (R-TN)
House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Legislation encourages states to help ensure students with asthma have assistance managing their disease at school. Legislation grants stated priority in asthma grants programs if the stock albuterol, establish standardized asthma action plans and train personnel to administer medication for a safe and healthy learning environment.
Legislative activity
House Bill 803: Emergency School Access to Epinephrine
President Obama signed the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act which grants preference for grants to study asthma for states with legislation mandating stock epinephrine injectors in schools.
Update: Under PA State Law, Access to Epinephrine Now Encouraged in PA State Schools
Now known as Act 195 of 2014, House Bill 803 was signed into law on October 31, 2014. PAAA worked hand-in-hand with the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) to get this important legislation passed.
President Obama signed the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act which grants preference for grants to study asthma for states with legislation mandating stock epinephrine injectors in schools.
Update: Under PA State Law, Access to Epinephrine Now Encouraged in PA State Schools
Now known as Act 195 of 2014, House Bill 803 was signed into law on October 31, 2014. PAAA worked hand-in-hand with the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) to get this important legislation passed.
The bill permits a public or private school to authorize a trained school employee to:
In 2016: PAAA sent a letter of support for the Airline Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (S. 1972) which would improve access to life-saving medication for airline passengers with food and other severe allergies. This legislation would require airlines to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors on commercial aircraft and to train flight crews on proper administration in the event of an allergic emergency.
- Provide an epinephrine auto-injector that meets the prescription on file for either the individual student or the school to a student who is authorized to self-administer an epinephrine auto-injector; and
- Administer an epinephrine auto-injector that meets the prescription on file for the school to a student that the employee in good faith believes to be having an anaphylactic reaction.
In 2016: PAAA sent a letter of support for the Airline Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (S. 1972) which would improve access to life-saving medication for airline passengers with food and other severe allergies. This legislation would require airlines to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors on commercial aircraft and to train flight crews on proper administration in the event of an allergic emergency.
PAAA has donated to the following lay organizations:
Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA)
Food Allergy Research Education (FARE)
Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF)
Kids with Food Allergies (KFA)
Food Allergy Research Education (FARE)
Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF)
Kids with Food Allergies (KFA)
