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AHA Releases Spring/Summer 2017 Policy Report

Interested in the policy report from the American Heart Association? Check out their efforts in different areas here. 

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AHAPolicyReportSpring2017.PNGEach year, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association produces scientific statements and guidelines based on expert consensus to promote our mission of reducing disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. The advocacy department translates these and other science-based documents into policy that can transform cardiovascular health and that shape our conversations with policy makers, grassroots advocates, legislative and regulatory initiatives, and media advocacy efforts. 

The report summarizes important areas of policy development and advocacy focus at the state and federal level and comes out twice a year with each issue highlighting new policy work over the prior 6-month timeframe. We share the report internally with staff and externally with policymakers, public health partners, researchers, donors, volunteers, and decision makers.

  • The report projects the staggering burden of CVD and stroke (cost and prevalence) for 2035 if current trends remain.
    • Total costs of CVD are expected to eclipse $1 trillion by 2035.
    • Medical costs will likely triple over the next 20 years for Hispanics, more than double among blacks and be higher for women than men.
    • By 2035, nearly half of the U.S. population is expected to have at least one CVD.  
  • How health care is paid for and delivered is a critical part of the ongoing effort to transform our health care system to provide the best prevention, treatment, care, and rehabilitation to our CVD patients. A very new issue for the association, this call to action makes the case for the association's and other stakeholders' engagement in the issue.
  • The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) policy statement positions the AHA on the critical importance of this food safety net program, both within the Farm Bill reauthorization and in state advocacy efforts. For the first time in these efforts we are focusing on the need to address diet quality and access to healthy foods and beverages for low-income consumers. 
  • Active transportation is an ongoing area of advocacy work at all levels of government. We want to assure people have the opportunity to safely bike, walk, and roll through their communities and to their destinations to be more physically active. 

Why this matters ...

  • The report is significant for its succinct summaries of new and emerging policy issues for the association. It's also a go-to resource of what is new.
  • Understanding what the key issues are helps us advocate for transformative policies that can improve the health of ALL Americans. This makes our work even more important.
  • Through the report, we link scientists, clinicians and policymakers to help improve cardiovascular health and decrease heart disease and stroke mortality. 

Check out the Spring/Summer 2017 Policy Report here.