By McClendon H.R. No. 146 77R5044 MMS-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Asthma Coalition of Texas (ACT) has been formed 1-2 to improve the health care of people with asthma and to reduce the 1-3 serious consequences of this disease; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Asthma is a chronic, potentially fatal illness that 1-5 affects a large number of people, and the incidence of asthma is 1-6 increasing; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Over one million people in Texas suffer from this 1-8 disease, more than one-third of them children under the age of 18; 1-9 the percentage of Texas children with asthma nearly doubled in the 1-10 last two decades and is expected to double again by 2020; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The annual cost of asthma to Texas has risen to more 1-12 than $750 million; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Asthma is responsible for one of every six pediatric 1-14 emergency visits and is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization 1-15 for children under the age of 15; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Children miss more than one million school days 1-17 every year because of asthma, and it is the most common cause of 1-18 school absences due to chronic illness; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Among adults, asthma attacks account for over 1-20 200,000 lost workdays annually; and 1-21 WHEREAS, Each year asthma causes more than 300 preventable 1-22 deaths in Texas; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Many studies have shown that a combination of simple 1-24 prevention and control techniques reduces asthma symptoms, permits 2-1 normal day-to-day activities, lowers total treatment costs, and 2-2 virtually eliminates the risk of death due to asthma; and 2-3 WHEREAS, To address the challenges posed by this illness, 2-4 organizations concerned with health care, public education, public 2-5 health, patient advocacy, and the environment, together with groups 2-6 representing insurance providers and employers, have created the 2-7 Asthma Coalition of Texas; and 2-8 WHEREAS, ACT has prepared the Texas Asthma Plan, which 2-9 outlines measures to successfully manage the disease while lowering 2-10 the total health care costs for asthma; and 2-11 WHEREAS, Cost-effective models of treatment partnerships 2-12 between patients, health care professionals, and payers have been 2-13 shown to achieve all or many of the goals shared by these groups 2-14 and by the Asthma Coalition of Texas; and 2-15 WHEREAS, By working to improve the care of asthma patients 2-16 and to maximize their health, to reduce the economic burden of 2-17 asthma on Texas communities, and to eliminate preventable deaths 2-18 caused by this disease, the Asthma Coalition of Texas is performing 2-19 a vital service for the people of this state and its efforts are 2-20 truly deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be it 2-21 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-22 Legislature hereby commend the Asthma Coalition of Texas for its 2-23 work to improve health care for asthma patients and to reduce the 2-24 personal and economic costs of this chronic illness.