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Practice Notes from the AAAAI
Practice Notes from the AAAAI Don’t Miss the Lineup of Plenary Sessions in Houston While there are hundreds of educational offerings to choose from at the 2015 AAAAI Annual Meeting, the plenary sessions remain the premier sessions. Taking place from 8:15 to 9:45 am, these popular sessions present topics in didactic format to all delegates. Beginning with “How the Microbial Environment Influences the Development of Allergic Diseases: What We Know and What We Can Do” on the morning of Saturday, February 21, the slate of plenary sessions in Houston promises to cover a wide range of hot topics in allergy/immunology from urticaria and severe asthma to dangerous allergens. President James T. Li, MD, PhD, FAAAAI will be stepping outside the traditional format for his Presidential Plenary. Instead of the typical early Saturday morning plenary session, there will be a Presidential Course on Friday afternoon and a Presidential Symposium late Saturday morning. “Following my focus on improving learning, the Presidential Course is titled ‘Instructional Methods for Active Learning.’ This faculty development course will translate into having a larger number of speakers and moderators who are educated and trained in a variety of adult learning techniques. If you are interested in being a presenter or facilitator, the Presidential Course offers a great opportunity to better your teaching skills,” Li explained. “My Presidential Symposium will focus on Th2 Immune Response Modifiers for Severe Airway Diseases. We’ll be discussing asthma and COPD phenotypes and the implications for personalized medicine, the therapeutic utility of targeting Th2high phenotype in asthma, and how COPD can have similar pathologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets as asthma.” Read more to learn about the Presidential Course, Presidential Symposium and the four Plenary Sessions.
Presidential Course: Instructional Methods for Active Learning Friday, February 20, 2015 Learning Objectives Identify adult learning principles. Describe the strategy of the flipped classroom. Describe and apply instructional methods for active learning. Moderator Gerald B. Lee, MD; Principles of Adult Learning by Lily Pien, MD, FAAAAI; Interactive Learning Methods by
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
Jesus R. Guajardo, MD, PhD, FAAAAI; This session will also use interactive learning strategies.
Presidential Symposium: Th2 Immune Response Modifiers for Severe Airway Diseases Saturday, February 21, 2015 Describe asthma and COPD phenotypes and the implications for personalized medicine. Describe and discuss the therapeutic utility of targeting Th2-high phenotype in asthma. Discuss how COPD can have similar pathologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets as asthma. Moderator President James T. Li , MD, PhD, FAAAAI; Phenotypes in Asthma and COPD: Therapeutic Implications for Personalized Medicine by Sally E. Wenzel, MD, FAAAAI; Targeting of Th2-high Phenotype in Asthma by Thomas B. Casale, MD, FAAAAI; Th2 Cytokine Antagonists in COPD by Reynold A. Panettieri Jr., MD.
How the Microbial Environment Influences the Development of Allergic Diseases: What We Know and What We Can Do Saturday, February 21, 2015 Learning Objectives Discuss the associations between the gut microbiome and the development of food allergies. Identify the relationship between diversity of gut microbiota and the development of atopic eczema in infants. Describe how microbial colonization regulates allergic airways inflammation. Moderator Karin A. Pacheco, MD, MSPH, FAAAAI; From the Hygiene Hypothesis to the Microbiome by Erika Von Mutius, MD, MSc; The Role of the Skin Microbiome in Health and Disease by Richard Gallo, MD, PhD; Microbiota Abnormalities in Inflammatory Airway Diseases - Potential for Therapy by Susan V. Lynch, PhD.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 17A
Practice Notes from the AAAAI Urticaria: A Non-Allergic Disorder Treated as an Allergic Disorder Sunday, February 22, 2015 Learning Objectives Discuss the urticaria guidelines. Identify and utilize the treatments appropriately, including the anti-IgE. Identify the mechanisms of urticaria. Moderator Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, FAAAAI; Urticaria: Varied Presentations and Clinical Trajectories by Stephen C. Dreskin, MD, PhD, FAAAAI; Urticaria: Novel Mechanisms by Sarbjit S. Saini, MD, FAAAAI; Managing Urticaria: New Guidelines and Beyond by Marcus Maurer, MD.
Severe Asthma: From Bench to Guidelines Monday, February 23, 2015 Learning Objectives Discuss the pathogenesis of severe asthma. Identify the phenotypes and endotypes associated with severe asthma. Discuss new guideline recommendations and emerging therapies for severe asthma. Moderator Timothy J. Craig, DO, FAAAAI; Underlying Mechanisms of Severe Asthma by Serpil C. Erzurum, MD; Utilization of Present Therapies Based Upon Biomarkers, Phenotypes and Endotypes by Stanley J. Szefler, MD, FAAAAI; Guideline Recommendations and Emerging Treatments for Severe Asthma by Mario Castro, MD, MPH.
Dangerous Allergens: New Insights Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Learning Objectives Describe how structural biology is providing insights into allergenicity. Discuss beyond proteases: allergen-specific activation of innate immunity. Identify pollens and oxidants: a dangerous pro-allergic combination. Moderator Joerg R. Kleine-Tebbe, MD, FAAAAI; Pollens and Oxidants: Dangerous Partners in the Epithelium by Sanjiv Sur, MD; Understanding Allergen-Encoded Signals that Initiate
18A JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
Immunity by Bart N. Lambrecht, MD, PhD; Novel Approaches to Allergy Diagnostics by Ronald Van Ree, PhD, FAAAAI.
From Everyday SLIT Cases to Gaps in Asthma Guidelines for Researchers: Topics for Interest Section Forums Each of the AAAAI’s seven interest sections has its own forum that will take place from 12:30 to 2:30 pm on Sunday, February 22, at the 2015 Annual Meeting. The forums will begin with any interest section business and then move to the educational content. There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration and a ticket are required for a boxed lunch. The topics for the forums, as chosen by each interest section, are: Interest Section
Topic
Asthma Diagnosis and Treatment
Frontiers in Obstructive Airway Therapies
Basic and Clinical Immunology
Autoimmunity 2015
Environmental and Occupational Respiratory Diseases
Where Asthma and Contact Dermatitis Collide: Case Presentations with New and Common Allergens
Food Allergy, Anaphylaxis, Dermatology and Drug Allergy
New Developments in Food Allergy and Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Health Outcomes, Education, Delivery and Quality
Gaps in the Asthma Guidelines: What Are the Most Important Questions to be Answered in Asthma Research and Practice Today?
Immunotherapy, Rhinitis, Sinusitis, When and How to Apply Ocular Diseases and Cough Sublingual Immunotherapy: Learning from Everyday Cases Mechanisms of Asthma and Allergic Inflammation
Cutting Edge: Mechanisms of Asthma and Allergic Inflammation
2015 ARTrust Benefit: A Night at the Museum Journey back in time and watch history come alive at the ARTrust Benefit. Mark your calendar for A Night at the Museum in the Morian Hall of Paleontology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Saturday, February 21, 2015, at 7:00 pm during the 2015 Annual Meeting.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
Practice Notes from the AAAAI During this prehistoric exploration, you will experience over 60 dinosaur and mammal displays, a virtual ancient aquarium, interactive exhibits and much more at Morian Hall. Indulge in fine dining and live music with your friends and colleagues at this exciting event while you help raise funds for the ARTrust. Visit annualmeeting.aaaai.org to find more event details and ticket pricing for the 2015 ARTrust Benefit.
2015 ARTrust 5K Run/Walk: Light Up the Night Get your running and walking shoes ready for the Third Annual ARTrust 5K Run/Walk. As the sun sets on Sunday, February 22, join us to Light Up the Night under the Houston sky to raise funds for allergy, asthma and immunology education and research. This glowing event will be hard to miss. The 5K Run/Walk will begin at 5:30 pm with runners and walkers of all ages starting at Discovery Green Park, looping through downtown, and finishing back at the park. Further event details and registration information are also available on the Annual Meeting website, annualmeeting.aaaai.org. Your participation is needed to make the Third Annual ARTrust 5K Run/Walk even more successful than last year. Help us Light Up the Night in Houston!
Have You Completed the AAAAI’s Anaphylaxis Education Activities? You can help your patients begin the New Year in full happiness and health by reviewing anaphylaxis diagnosis and management strategies, using an itinerary of activities found in the AAAAI Continuing Education Center. Anaphylaxis continues to challenge healthcare providers due to the variety of ways it can manifest. Brush up on the “Essential New Considerations in Anaphylaxis: An Updated Practice Parameter” or explore our series of Anaphylaxis Identification and Management (AIM) Virtual Patients. Another course, Anaphylaxis in the New Millenium, provides a recording of a plenary session presented at the AAAAI 2012 Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL. It reviews the immunologic mechanisms of anaphylaxis, including non-IgE mediated anaphylaxis; reasons the heart is an important target in the diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis; and summarizes the assessment and management guidelines for anaphylaxis from the World Allergy Organization. Of course, you can also earn CME and/or CE credit from the AAAAI by completing these activities. Gain access by visiting education.aaaai.org/aim. Please note that the AIM Initiative is funded through an educational grant from Sanofi-Aventis, U.S.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
AAAAI President James T. Li, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, met with legislators e like Senator Al Franken (MN) e to advocate for patients who have asthma, allergies and other immunologic disorders.
In Review: AAAAI Advocates for Allergies, Asthma and Immunodeficiency in DC As part of the November AAAAI Board meeting in Washington, DC, AAAAI leaders met with Senators and Representatives who play leadership roles with respect to health policy and research. The visits to Capitol Hill are part of the AAAAI’s ongoing efforts to advocate for issues involving the specialty and its patients. The AAAAI has advocated for many years on issues including research funding, graduate medical education (GME) and comparative effectiveness of immunotherapy in allergy and asthma patients, and this year added a range of additional issues around physician reimbursement and patient access. Both Washington Health Advocates and Hart Health Strategies worked with AAAAI leaders to strategize on which key topics should be the focus of discussions. Continue reading to learn more about the issues affecting the allergist/immunologist specialty and visit aaaai.org/advocacy for important legislative updates.
Family Asthma Act, S. 2804 The AAAAI asked Congress to support the Family Asthma Act, which would assist states in creating programs to better educate families on asthma management and prevention. It would also improve asthma research and data collection to help target asthma interventions more effectively.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 19A
Practice Notes from the AAAAI Asthma Management Plans in School Act, H.R. 1007 The AAAAI asked members of Congress to cosponsor the Asthma Management Plans in School Act to provide grants to schools for the development of asthma management plans and the purchase of asthma medications and devices for emergency use, as necessary.
Antibiotic Development to Advance Patient Treatment (ADAPT) Act, H.R. 3742 AAAAI supports the ADAPT Act which would incentivize antibiotic research and development by addressing a regulatory hurdle related to clinical trial designs for antibacterial or antifungal drugs. This act also strengthens monitoring by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of resistance and the use of antibiotics to treat serious and life threating infections by making these data publically available for providers, hospitals and academics.
Patients’ Access to Treatments Act, H.R. 460 The AAAAI asked members of Congress to cosponsor the Patients’ Access to Treatments Act, limiting co-payment, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing requirements for prescription drugs in a specialty drug tier to the dollar amount (or its equivalent) applicable to prescription drugs in a non-preferred brand drug tier. H.R. 460 will enable patient access to treatments, reduce disability and constrain health care costs.
Medicare IVIG Demonstration Project e Passed! With overwhelming bipartisan support, the 112th Congress passed the Medicare IVIG Access Act. Under the three-year demonstration, there will be a per visit payment amount for items and services needed for in-home administration of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) based on the national per visit low-utilization payment amount. As a result, several hundred Medicare beneficiaries with primary immune deficiency disease from across 40 states began receiving their IVIG in their homes. New applications, which requires a physician sign off, continue to be accepted on a rolling basis.
Repealing and replacing the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Physician Payment Formula The AAAAI is on the record supporting the “SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014” which permanently repeals the SGR while addressing many physician
20A JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
Lay Organizations The AAAAI places a high value on its relationships with patient advocacy organizations in support of our mutual concern for the needs of people with allergy, asthma and immunologic disease and their families. In particular, the AAAAI has an ongoing relationship with a group of organizations with whom we partner on various projects as needs and opportunities arise. We encourage you to visit these organizations’ websites for more information on their initiatives and missions. Allergy & Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) www.aanma.org www.breatherville.org American Latex Allergy Association www.latexallergyresources.org American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) www.apfed.org Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) www.aafa.org Alaska Chapter: www.aafaalaska.com California Chapter: www.aafa-ca.com Greater Kansas City Chapter: www.aafakc.org Maryland/Washington DC Chapter: www.aafa-md.org Michigan Chapter: www.aafamich.org New England Chapter: www.asthmaandallergies.org Texas Chapter: www.aafatexas.org St. Louis Chapter: www.aafastl.org Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Disease (CURED) www.curedfoundation.org Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) merged to form FARE. www.foodallergy.org Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) www.primaryimmune.org International FPIES Association (I-FPIES) www.fpies.org The Mastocytosis Society (TMS) www.tmsforacure.org US Hereditary Angioedema Association (HAEA) www.haea.org
concerns: providing a five-year period of stable updates, preserving fee-for-service as a continued option, implementing a streamlined quality improvement program based on benchmanrks achievable by all physicians, allowing for physician and specialty society inclusion in the development of new performance measures and payment systems.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
Presidential Course: Instructional Methods for Active Learning Friday, February 20, 2015 Learning Objectives Identify adult learning principles. Describe the strategy of the flipped classroom. Describe and apply instructional methods for active learning. Moderator Gerald B. Lee, MD; Principles of Adult Learning by Lily Pien, MD, FAAAAI; Interactive Learning Methods by
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
Jesus R. Guajardo, MD, PhD, FAAAAI; This session will also use interactive learning strategies.
Presidential Symposium: Th2 Immune Response Modifiers for Severe Airway Diseases Saturday, February 21, 2015 Describe asthma and COPD phenotypes and the implications for personalized medicine. Describe and discuss the therapeutic utility of targeting Th2-high phenotype in asthma. Discuss how COPD can have similar pathologic mechanisms and therapeutic targets as asthma. Moderator President James T. Li , MD, PhD, FAAAAI; Phenotypes in Asthma and COPD: Therapeutic Implications for Personalized Medicine by Sally E. Wenzel, MD, FAAAAI; Targeting of Th2-high Phenotype in Asthma by Thomas B. Casale, MD, FAAAAI; Th2 Cytokine Antagonists in COPD by Reynold A. Panettieri Jr., MD.
How the Microbial Environment Influences the Development of Allergic Diseases: What We Know and What We Can Do Saturday, February 21, 2015 Learning Objectives Discuss the associations between the gut microbiome and the development of food allergies. Identify the relationship between diversity of gut microbiota and the development of atopic eczema in infants. Describe how microbial colonization regulates allergic airways inflammation. Moderator Karin A. Pacheco, MD, MSPH, FAAAAI; From the Hygiene Hypothesis to the Microbiome by Erika Von Mutius, MD, MSc; The Role of the Skin Microbiome in Health and Disease by Richard Gallo, MD, PhD; Microbiota Abnormalities in Inflammatory Airway Diseases - Potential for Therapy by Susan V. Lynch, PhD.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 17A
Practice Notes from the AAAAI Urticaria: A Non-Allergic Disorder Treated as an Allergic Disorder Sunday, February 22, 2015 Learning Objectives Discuss the urticaria guidelines. Identify and utilize the treatments appropriately, including the anti-IgE. Identify the mechanisms of urticaria. Moderator Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, FAAAAI; Urticaria: Varied Presentations and Clinical Trajectories by Stephen C. Dreskin, MD, PhD, FAAAAI; Urticaria: Novel Mechanisms by Sarbjit S. Saini, MD, FAAAAI; Managing Urticaria: New Guidelines and Beyond by Marcus Maurer, MD.
Severe Asthma: From Bench to Guidelines Monday, February 23, 2015 Learning Objectives Discuss the pathogenesis of severe asthma. Identify the phenotypes and endotypes associated with severe asthma. Discuss new guideline recommendations and emerging therapies for severe asthma. Moderator Timothy J. Craig, DO, FAAAAI; Underlying Mechanisms of Severe Asthma by Serpil C. Erzurum, MD; Utilization of Present Therapies Based Upon Biomarkers, Phenotypes and Endotypes by Stanley J. Szefler, MD, FAAAAI; Guideline Recommendations and Emerging Treatments for Severe Asthma by Mario Castro, MD, MPH.
Dangerous Allergens: New Insights Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Learning Objectives Describe how structural biology is providing insights into allergenicity. Discuss beyond proteases: allergen-specific activation of innate immunity. Identify pollens and oxidants: a dangerous pro-allergic combination. Moderator Joerg R. Kleine-Tebbe, MD, FAAAAI; Pollens and Oxidants: Dangerous Partners in the Epithelium by Sanjiv Sur, MD; Understanding Allergen-Encoded Signals that Initiate
18A JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
Immunity by Bart N. Lambrecht, MD, PhD; Novel Approaches to Allergy Diagnostics by Ronald Van Ree, PhD, FAAAAI.
From Everyday SLIT Cases to Gaps in Asthma Guidelines for Researchers: Topics for Interest Section Forums Each of the AAAAI’s seven interest sections has its own forum that will take place from 12:30 to 2:30 pm on Sunday, February 22, at the 2015 Annual Meeting. The forums will begin with any interest section business and then move to the educational content. There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration and a ticket are required for a boxed lunch. The topics for the forums, as chosen by each interest section, are: Interest Section
Topic
Asthma Diagnosis and Treatment
Frontiers in Obstructive Airway Therapies
Basic and Clinical Immunology
Autoimmunity 2015
Environmental and Occupational Respiratory Diseases
Where Asthma and Contact Dermatitis Collide: Case Presentations with New and Common Allergens
Food Allergy, Anaphylaxis, Dermatology and Drug Allergy
New Developments in Food Allergy and Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Health Outcomes, Education, Delivery and Quality
Gaps in the Asthma Guidelines: What Are the Most Important Questions to be Answered in Asthma Research and Practice Today?
Immunotherapy, Rhinitis, Sinusitis, When and How to Apply Ocular Diseases and Cough Sublingual Immunotherapy: Learning from Everyday Cases Mechanisms of Asthma and Allergic Inflammation
Cutting Edge: Mechanisms of Asthma and Allergic Inflammation
2015 ARTrust Benefit: A Night at the Museum Journey back in time and watch history come alive at the ARTrust Benefit. Mark your calendar for A Night at the Museum in the Morian Hall of Paleontology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Saturday, February 21, 2015, at 7:00 pm during the 2015 Annual Meeting.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
Practice Notes from the AAAAI During this prehistoric exploration, you will experience over 60 dinosaur and mammal displays, a virtual ancient aquarium, interactive exhibits and much more at Morian Hall. Indulge in fine dining and live music with your friends and colleagues at this exciting event while you help raise funds for the ARTrust. Visit annualmeeting.aaaai.org to find more event details and ticket pricing for the 2015 ARTrust Benefit.
2015 ARTrust 5K Run/Walk: Light Up the Night Get your running and walking shoes ready for the Third Annual ARTrust 5K Run/Walk. As the sun sets on Sunday, February 22, join us to Light Up the Night under the Houston sky to raise funds for allergy, asthma and immunology education and research. This glowing event will be hard to miss. The 5K Run/Walk will begin at 5:30 pm with runners and walkers of all ages starting at Discovery Green Park, looping through downtown, and finishing back at the park. Further event details and registration information are also available on the Annual Meeting website, annualmeeting.aaaai.org. Your participation is needed to make the Third Annual ARTrust 5K Run/Walk even more successful than last year. Help us Light Up the Night in Houston!
Have You Completed the AAAAI’s Anaphylaxis Education Activities? You can help your patients begin the New Year in full happiness and health by reviewing anaphylaxis diagnosis and management strategies, using an itinerary of activities found in the AAAAI Continuing Education Center. Anaphylaxis continues to challenge healthcare providers due to the variety of ways it can manifest. Brush up on the “Essential New Considerations in Anaphylaxis: An Updated Practice Parameter” or explore our series of Anaphylaxis Identification and Management (AIM) Virtual Patients. Another course, Anaphylaxis in the New Millenium, provides a recording of a plenary session presented at the AAAAI 2012 Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL. It reviews the immunologic mechanisms of anaphylaxis, including non-IgE mediated anaphylaxis; reasons the heart is an important target in the diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis; and summarizes the assessment and management guidelines for anaphylaxis from the World Allergy Organization. Of course, you can also earn CME and/or CE credit from the AAAAI by completing these activities. Gain access by visiting education.aaaai.org/aim. Please note that the AIM Initiative is funded through an educational grant from Sanofi-Aventis, U.S.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
AAAAI President James T. Li, MD, PhD, FAAAAI, met with legislators e like Senator Al Franken (MN) e to advocate for patients who have asthma, allergies and other immunologic disorders.
In Review: AAAAI Advocates for Allergies, Asthma and Immunodeficiency in DC As part of the November AAAAI Board meeting in Washington, DC, AAAAI leaders met with Senators and Representatives who play leadership roles with respect to health policy and research. The visits to Capitol Hill are part of the AAAAI’s ongoing efforts to advocate for issues involving the specialty and its patients. The AAAAI has advocated for many years on issues including research funding, graduate medical education (GME) and comparative effectiveness of immunotherapy in allergy and asthma patients, and this year added a range of additional issues around physician reimbursement and patient access. Both Washington Health Advocates and Hart Health Strategies worked with AAAAI leaders to strategize on which key topics should be the focus of discussions. Continue reading to learn more about the issues affecting the allergist/immunologist specialty and visit aaaai.org/advocacy for important legislative updates.
Family Asthma Act, S. 2804 The AAAAI asked Congress to support the Family Asthma Act, which would assist states in creating programs to better educate families on asthma management and prevention. It would also improve asthma research and data collection to help target asthma interventions more effectively.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 19A
Practice Notes from the AAAAI Asthma Management Plans in School Act, H.R. 1007 The AAAAI asked members of Congress to cosponsor the Asthma Management Plans in School Act to provide grants to schools for the development of asthma management plans and the purchase of asthma medications and devices for emergency use, as necessary.
Antibiotic Development to Advance Patient Treatment (ADAPT) Act, H.R. 3742 AAAAI supports the ADAPT Act which would incentivize antibiotic research and development by addressing a regulatory hurdle related to clinical trial designs for antibacterial or antifungal drugs. This act also strengthens monitoring by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of resistance and the use of antibiotics to treat serious and life threating infections by making these data publically available for providers, hospitals and academics.
Patients’ Access to Treatments Act, H.R. 460 The AAAAI asked members of Congress to cosponsor the Patients’ Access to Treatments Act, limiting co-payment, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing requirements for prescription drugs in a specialty drug tier to the dollar amount (or its equivalent) applicable to prescription drugs in a non-preferred brand drug tier. H.R. 460 will enable patient access to treatments, reduce disability and constrain health care costs.
Medicare IVIG Demonstration Project e Passed! With overwhelming bipartisan support, the 112th Congress passed the Medicare IVIG Access Act. Under the three-year demonstration, there will be a per visit payment amount for items and services needed for in-home administration of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) based on the national per visit low-utilization payment amount. As a result, several hundred Medicare beneficiaries with primary immune deficiency disease from across 40 states began receiving their IVIG in their homes. New applications, which requires a physician sign off, continue to be accepted on a rolling basis.
Repealing and replacing the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Physician Payment Formula The AAAAI is on the record supporting the “SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014” which permanently repeals the SGR while addressing many physician
20A JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
Lay Organizations The AAAAI places a high value on its relationships with patient advocacy organizations in support of our mutual concern for the needs of people with allergy, asthma and immunologic disease and their families. In particular, the AAAAI has an ongoing relationship with a group of organizations with whom we partner on various projects as needs and opportunities arise. We encourage you to visit these organizations’ websites for more information on their initiatives and missions. Allergy & Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) www.aanma.org www.breatherville.org American Latex Allergy Association www.latexallergyresources.org American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) www.apfed.org Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) www.aafa.org Alaska Chapter: www.aafaalaska.com California Chapter: www.aafa-ca.com Greater Kansas City Chapter: www.aafakc.org Maryland/Washington DC Chapter: www.aafa-md.org Michigan Chapter: www.aafamich.org New England Chapter: www.asthmaandallergies.org Texas Chapter: www.aafatexas.org St. Louis Chapter: www.aafastl.org Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Disease (CURED) www.curedfoundation.org Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) merged to form FARE. www.foodallergy.org Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) www.primaryimmune.org International FPIES Association (I-FPIES) www.fpies.org The Mastocytosis Society (TMS) www.tmsforacure.org US Hereditary Angioedema Association (HAEA) www.haea.org
concerns: providing a five-year period of stable updates, preserving fee-for-service as a continued option, implementing a streamlined quality improvement program based on benchmanrks achievable by all physicians, allowing for physician and specialty society inclusion in the development of new performance measures and payment systems.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract