Dear Representative _______________,

As a Respiratory Therapist, I want to make you aware of a legislative effort underway to address the most common chronic disease for children: asthma.  Representative Michael Sturla has introduced HB 1223 which would establish a statewide asthma tracking system and is in the process of securing co-sponsors for this most important endeavor.

The prevalence of asthma has been increasing dramatically over the past twenty years and it has become the most common chronic disease in children. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency:

· Asthma leads to 2 million emergency room visits and 5,000 deaths per year in the U.S.
· Asthma accounted for more than 14 million missed school days in 2000.
· Asthma costs (health care costs and lost productivity) totaled $14 billion in 2002.

Although asthma affects people at all socioeconomic levels, the poor and minority populations tend to experience a greater burden when measured by the chances of dying or being hospitalized for the disease. The reasons for this disparity may include nutrition, lack of preventive care, and exposure to higher levels of indoor and outdoor air pollution. Furthermore, the economic impact of this disease on our economy has been significant.

This legislation would develop and maintain a comprehensive tracking system to monitor the investigation of factors contributing to the difference in the rates of asthma among different socioeconomic, racial, and age groups in the Commonwealth, as well as provide recommendations for improving greater access to health care for groups with high prevalence of the disease. In addition, this legislation would target resources to those areas that are shown to be the most heavily impacted. Considering the increasing rates of asthma and its adverse impact on certain segments of the population, it is imperative that Pennsylvania joins the list of states, which already have enacted asthma tracking legislation.

I encourage you to co-sponsor this legislation which has the potential to make a dramatic improvement in the lives of our children as well as the parents who care for them. Please contact Debbie Boehm in Representative Sturla’s office @ 717.787.3555 or dboehm@pahouse.net.

Sincerely,

(Your Name Here)

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