Our Policy Positions

Access to Care

AHA's 2020 Statement of Principles for Adequate, Accessible and Affordable Healthcare (LINK)

Principles for Health Care Reform - Executive Summary (PDF)

Balance Billing Principles (PDF)

Public Charge Statement (PDF)

American Heart Association's Call to Action for Payment and Delivery System Reform (LINK)

Government Continues to Have an Important Role in Promoting Cardiovascular Health (LINK)

Payment for Quality Guiding Principles and Recommendations (LINK)

Community Health

The Importance of Community Health Workers for CVD Prevention and Treatment (July 2018) (PDF)

Maternal Health

Call to Action: Maternal Health and Saving Mothers (LINK)

Maternal Health - Executive Summary (PDF)

Fact Sheets

Balance Billing (PDF)

Cardiovascular Disease: Women's No. 1 Health Threat (PDF)

Cardiovascular Disease and Maternal Health (PDF)

Medicaid and CVD (PDF)(link opens in new window)

Ensuring Access to Quality Care Network Adequacy (PDF)(link opens in new window)

Investing in Prevention: Covering Preventive Services in the Medicaid Program (PDF)(link opens in new window)

The Uninsured with CVD and Stroke (PDF)(link opens in new window) 

Policy At-A-Glance

Informal Caregiving (PDF)

Health Reimbursement Arrangements (PDF)

Additional Resources

American Heart Association's 2020 Health Care Reform Principles (PDF)(link opens in new window)

Coalition Consensus Health Care Reform Principles (PDF)(link opens in new window)

See also: Value in Healthcare

Access to Healthy Food

Food Sustainability and Farm Bill (PDF)

Strategies to Address Socioeconomic and Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Chronic Diseases by Incorporating Food and Nutrition Programs into the Primary Healthcare Setting (PDF)

Expanding Access to Healthy Food for Medicaid Beneficiaries (PDF)

Farm Bill Policy and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (2017) (PDF)

Environmental Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals & the Impact on Obesity and CVD (PDF)

Nutrition

Food Package and Retail Shelf Icon System (PDF)

Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity and Smoking Habits (LINK)

Healthy Food Financing (PDF)

Menu Labeling (PDF)

Trans Fat (PDF)

Strengthening US Food Policies and Programs to Promote Equity in Nutrition Security (LINK)

Sugary Beverages & Healthy Hydration

Sugar-sweetened Beverage Taxation (PDF)

AHA Tiered Tax Policy in Brief (PDF)

SSB Tax Report Appendices A-C (PDF)

Tiered Sugary Drink Tax Revenue Calculations Brief (PDF)

Distribution of Sugar Content in Sugary Drink Purchases in the US: Implications for Tiered Taxation (PDF)

Warning Labels on Sugary Drinks (PDF)

Increasing Access to Safe Drinking Water in Schools and Communities (PDF)

Sodium Reduction

Reducing Sodium Intake in Children: A Public Health Investment (LINK)

Reduction of Sodium in Diets and in the Food Supply (LINK)

Fact Sheets

Decreasing Sugary Drink Consumption (PDF)

Food Marketing and Advertising to Children (PDF)

Nutrition Security (PDF)

Protecting Benefits and Improving Diet Quality in the Farm Bill (PDF)

Reducing Sodium in the U.S. Diet (PDF)

Reducing Sodium in the Diet of U.S. Children (PDF)

Policy At-A-Glance

Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization (PDF)

Food Marketing and Advertising to Children (PDF)

Front of Pack Labeling (PDF)

Healthier Food Options for Public Places (PDF)

Sugary Drink Warning Labels (PDF)

Infographics

Lowering Sodium in School Meals: INFOGRAPHIC (PDF)

Strategic Vision

Advocacy Strategic Vision for Nutrition Policy: 2023-2030 (PDF)

Supervised Exercise Training for Chronic Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Scientific Statement from the AHA and American College of Cardiology (LINK)(link opens in new window)

Referral, Enrollment, and Delivery of Cardiac Rehabilitation/Secondary Prevention Programs at Clinical Centers and Beyond (LINK)(link opens in new window)

Fact Sheets

Cardiac Rehabilitation (PDF)

Healthy Lifestyle Interventions to Combat Noncommunicable Disease - A Novel Nonhierarchical Connectivity Model for Stakeholders (LINK)

Environmental Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals & the Impact on Obesity and CVD (PDF) 

Policy Statements

Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home: A Joint Policy Statement from the American Heart Association and American Medical Association (LINK)

Palliative Care and Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke (LINK)

Cardiovascular Drug Shortages (LINK)

A Taxonomy of Disease Management (LINK)

Pre-Participation Screening of Young Competitive Athletes (PDF)

Fact Sheets

Palliative Care (PDF)

Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home (PDF)

Clean Air

Clean Indoor Air Laws and the Impact on Cardiovascular Disease (PDF)

Guidance to Reduce the Cardiovascular Burden of Ambient Air Pollutants (LINK)

Fact Sheets

Air Pollution and CVD (PDF)

Air Quality (PDF)

See Also: Tobacco Endgame

Call to Action to Prevent Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalized Patients: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association (LINK)

Coronary Artery Calcium Screening (PDF)

Evolution of The Guideline Advantage: Lessons Learned From the Front Lines of Outpatient Performance Measurement (LINK)

AHA's Recommendations for Expanding the Applications of Existing and Future Clinical Registries (LINK)

Principles for Comparative Effectiveness Research (LINK)

Pre-Participation Screening of Young Competitive Athletes (PDF)

Genetic Counseling

Genetic Counselors: Improving Access to Their Services for Patients With Cardiovascular Disease and Their Families (PDF)

Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease (LINK)

Cardiac Rehabilitation (PDF)

Clinical Registries (PDF)

Palliative Care (PDF)

Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring At Home (PDF)

Telehealth: Embracing CVD Healthcare in the 21st Century (PDF)

Policy At-A-Glance

Preventing Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in Hospitalized Patients (PDF)

CPR & AED Training

Basic Life Support Training for Healthcare Providers Guidance (PDF)

Naloxone in CPR/AED Training and Public Access to Defibrillation (PDF)

Reducing Barriers for Implementation of Bystander Initiated CPR (LINK)

Lay Rescuer Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Programs: Lessons Learned (LINK)

Response to Cardiac Arrest and Selected Life Threatening Emergencies (LINK)

CPR & AED in Schools

Cardiac Emergency Response Planning for Schools (PDF)

Telecommunicator CPR (T-CPR)

Telecommunicator CPR (LINK)

Fact Sheets

Telecommunicator CPR (PDF)

Forecasting

Forecasting the Future of Cardiovascular Disease in the United States (LINK)

Forecasting the Impact of Heart Failure in the United States (LINK)

Forecasting the Future of Stroke in the United States (LINK)

Projected Costs of Informal Caregiving for CVD 2015 to 2035 (LINK)

Global Health

American Heart Association's Call to Action for Reducing the Global Burden of Rheumatic Heart Disease (LINK)

Basic Life Support Training for Healthcare Providers Guidance (PDF)

Nutrition in Schools

School Nutrition (PDF)

Increasing Access to Safe Drinking Water in Schools and Communities (PDF)

Food Marketing and Advertising to Children in Schools (PDF)

Physical Activity in Schools 

Pre-Participation Screening of Young Competitive Athletes (PDF)

Policy Levers to Improve Physical Education, Youth Physical Activity and Social and Emotional Learning (PDF)

Treatment of Childhood Obesity in the Healthcare Environment (PDF)

Promoting Physical Activity Through School Facilities (LINK)

Healthy Childhood

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PDF)

Food Marketing and Advertising to Children (PDF)

Nutrition Standards and School Meals (PDF) 

Reducing Sodium in the Diet of U.S. Children (PDF)

Teaching America's Kids A Healthy Lifestyle: Physical Education in Public Schools (PDF)

Policy At-A-Glance

Access to Safe Drinking Water (PDF)

Healthy Early Care and Education Environment (PDF)

Physical Education in Schools (PDF)

School Nutrition (PDF)

Infographics

Lowering Sodium in School Meal (PDF)

Sodium in School Meals: Myths and Facts (PDF)(link opens in new window)

Workplace Wellness

Historical Summary of American Heart Association Published Positions on Worksite Wellness/Employee Health Management (PDF)

Food and Beverage in the Workplace

Food and Beverage Environment in the Workplace (LINK)

Tobacco and Nicotine in the Workplace

Guidance to Employers on Integrating E-cigarettes/Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems into Tobacco Worksite Policy (LINK)

Employer Sponsored Wellness Programs

The Role of Worksite Health Screening (LINK)

Guidance for a Reasonably Designed Employer Sponsored Wellness Program (PDF)

Outcome-based Incentives for Worksite Wellness Programs (LINK)

Speaking with One Voice on Worksite Wellness: The American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association (LINK)

Worksite Wellness Programs for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (LINK)

Critical Support Needed to Strengthen Public Health Infrastructure in the United States - Executive Summary (PDF)

AHA and the Million Hearts Initiative (LINK)

Investing In Heart Disease And Stroke Research (PDF)

Making Progress: Making a Difference (PDF)

Million Hearts: Fostering Collaboration to Save Millions of Lives (PDF)

Policy At-A-Glance

NIH Funding (PDF)

Presidential Advisory: AHA Principles on the Accessibility and Affordability of Drugs and Biologics (LINK)

Improving Quality of Care Through Disease Management (LINK)

Fact Sheets

Medicaid and Cardiovascular Disease (PDF)

Covering Preventive Services in the Medicaid Program (PDF)

Access to Medication

Principles on the Accessibility and Affordability of Drugs and Biologics (LINK)

The Impact of Drug Shortages on Patients with Cardiovascular Disease (LINK)

Statement on Drug Formularies (PDF)

Medication Adherence

Medication Adherence: Importance, issues and policy (LINK)

Medication Adherence Executive Summary (PDF)

Fact Sheets

A Tough Pill to Swallow: Medication Adherence and Cardiovascular Disease (PDF)

Reducing nontraumatic lower-extremity amputations by 20% by 2030: time to get to our feet: a policy statement from the American Heart Association (LINK)

Reducing Non-Traumatic Lower Extremity Amputations 20% by 2030 - Executive Statement (PDF)

Call to Action to Prevent Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalized Patients (LINK)

Fact Sheets

Peripheral Artery Disease

Policy At-A-Glance

Preventing Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in Hospitalized Patients (PDF)

Action Plans

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) National Action Plan (LINK)

Physical Activity

Policy Levers to Improve Physical Education, Youth Physical Activity and Social and Emotional Learning (PDF)

The Importance of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in the United States: The Need For A National Registry (LINK)

National Physical Activity Plan A Call to Action by the AHA (PDF)

Physical Activity Guidelines Rationale for Regular Updates (PDF)

Physical Activity for Youth

Increasing and Improving Physical Education and Physical Activity in Schools (PDF)

Obesity Prevention and Health Promotion Child Care Settings (PDF)

Promoting Physical Activity Through School Facilities (LINK)

Active Transportation

Creating Built Environments That Expand Active Transportation and Active Living Across the United States (PDF)

Active Transportation (PDF)

Fact Sheets

Active Transportation: Creating Spaces to Promote Active Living (PDF)

Physical Education in Public Schools (PDF)

Policy At A Glance

Active Transportation (PDF)

Physical Education in Schools (PDF)

Nonprofit Advocacy

Evidence-based Policy Making for Public Health Interventions in Cardiovascular Diseases: Formally Assessing the Feasibility of Clinical Trials (LINK)

Nonprofit Advocacy at the American Heart Association: Creating a Visionary Way Forward at Our 40th Anniversary (LINK)

American Heart Association and Nonprofit Advocacy: Past, Present and Future (LINK)

Public Health Interventions 

Critical Support Needed to Strengthen Public Health Infrastructure in the United States - Executive Summary (PDF)

Positioning on COVID-19 Vaccine (PDF)

Recommendations for Cardiovascular Health and Disease Surveillance for 2030 and Beyond (LINK)

State CV Health Programs: A Guide to Core Infrastructure, Activities, and Resources (PDF)

Healthy Lifestyle Interventions to Combat Noncommunicable Disease (LINK)

Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity and Smoking Habits (LINK)

The Value of Primordial and Primary Prevention for CVD (LINK)

AHA Principles for Comparative Effectiveness Research (LINK)

Non-Financial Incentives for Quality (LINK)

Fact Sheets

Cardiovascular Surveillance (PDF) 

Policy At-A-Glance 

Public Health Infrastructure (PDF)

Reports

Cardiovascular Disease A Costly Burden for America Projections (PDF)

Projections of Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence and Costs (PDF)

State Morbidity and Mortality Fact Sheets (LINK)

See Also: Forecasting the Future; Heart Disease and Stroke Research

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) Policy Statement (PDF)

Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences and Referral Pathways (PDF)

Mitigating the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences by Strengthening Income Support for Families (PDF)

Housing and Cardiovascular Health

Healthy Neighborhoods and Access (PDF)

Housing Access Affordability and Discrimination (PDF)

Housing and Cardiovascular Health (PDF)

Rural Health

Call to Action: Rural Health - A Presidential Advisory from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association

Executive Summary: Call to Action: Rural Health (PDF)

Rural Health Policy Guidance (PDF)

Paid Family and Medical Leave

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PDF)

Comprehensive Stroke Centers: A Consensus Statement from the Brain Attack Coalition

Forecasting the Future of Stroke in the United States (LINK)

What the Million Hearts Initiative Means for Stroke (LINK)

Risk Adjustment for Stroke Outcome Measures to Ensure Quality of Care (LINK)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)

Stroke Systems of Care

Recommendations for the Establishment of Stroke Systems of Care - a 2019 Update (LINK)

Establishment of Stroke Systems of Care (LINK)

Interactions Within Stroke Systems of Care (LINK)

Recommendations for Regional Stroke Destination Plans in Rural, Suburban, and Urban Communities From the Prehospital Stroke System of Care Consensus Conference: A Consensus Statement (LINK)

Implementation Strategies for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) within Stroke Systems of Care (LINK)

Telehealth

Implementation of Telemedicine within Stroke Systems of Care (LINK)

Recommendations for the Implementation of Telehealth in Cardiovascular and Stroke Care (LINK)

Telestroke: Improving Access to Quality Stroke Care (PDF)

Fact Sheets

Get With the Guidelines Stroke Registry (PDF)

Laying the Cornerstones for Systems of Care: Primary Stroke Centers (PDF)

Stroke in the U.S. (PDF)

Telestroke: Connecting Patients to Quality Treatment (PDF)

Policy At-A-Glance

Stroke Registries (PDF)

Stroke Systems of Care (PDF)

Toolkits

Consensus Recommendations to Support Stroke Systems of Care in Urban, Suburban and Rural Settings (LINK)

Telehealth

Update to Telehealth Principles (PDF)

Expanding Access to Care Through Telehealth (PDF)

Recommendations for the Implementation of Telehealth in Cardiovascular and Stroke Care (LINK)

Telestroke: Improving Access to Quality Stroke Care (PDF)

Recommendations for the Implementation of Telemedicine within Stroke Systems of Care (LINK)

Digital Health

Digital Health Lexicon (PDF)

Remote Patient Monitoring (PDF)

Tobacco Endgame

Tobacco Surcharge: Updated Policy Statement (PDF)

Tobacco Retail Strategies Executive Summary (PDF)

Tobacco Retail Licensure Environmental Scan Analysis of 50 United States (PDF)

New and Emerging Tobacco Products and the Nicotine Endgame (LINK)

The 50th Anniversary of the US Surgeon Generals Report on Tobacco (LINK)

The Impact of Smokeless Tobacco Products on Cardiovascular Diseases (LINK)

Eliminating the Sale of Tobacco Products in Pharmacies (PDF)

E-Cigarettes

E-Cigarettes: A Policy Statement from the American Heart Association (LINK)

Clean Air

Clean Indoor Air Laws and the Impact on Cardiovascular Disease (PDF)

Smoke-Free Policies in Multi-Unit Housing (PDF)

Guidance to Reduce the Cardiovascular Burden of Ambient Air Pollutants (LINK)

Cannabis

Marijuana Policy Supplement (PDF)

Higher Prices for Better Health Raising Tobacco Excise Taxes (PDF)

Tobacco Flavoring (PDF)

Structural Racism and Tobacco (PDF)

Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Programs (PDF)

Comprehensive Coverage of Tobacco Cessation Services in Public and Private Health Insurance (PDF)

Tobacco Retail Licensure (PDF)

Flavored Cigars (PDF)

Policy At-A-Glance

Comprehensive Tobacco Cessation Programs(PDF)

E-Cigarettes (PDF)

Smoke Free Air Policy (PDF)

Tobacco Excise Taxes (PDF)

Eliminating Tobacco Flavors (PDF)

Reports

AHA's Progress Toward Achieving the Tobacco and Nicotine Endgame (PDF)

AHA Principles for Comparative Effectiveness Research (LINK)

Non-Financial Incentives for Quality (LINK)

Value in Healthcare Initiative

Shaping Value-Based Payment Policy: Improving Heart Health Through Value-Based Payment (LINK)

Frontiers of Upstream Stroke Prevention and Reduced Stroke Inequity Through Predicting, Preventing, and Managing Hypertension and Atrial Fibrillation (LINK)

Improving Cardiovascular Drug and Device Development and Evidence Through Patient-Centered Research and Clinical Trials (LINK)

Streamlining and Reimagining Prior Authorization Under Value-Based Contracts: A Call to Action From the Value in Healthcare Initiative’s Prior Authorization Learning Collaborative (LINK)

Value in Healthcare Initiative: Summary and Key Recommendations (LINK)

Cardiovascular Patient Perspectives on Value in the Healthcare Experience (LINK)

Advancing Value-Based Cardiovascular Care (LINK)

Advancing Value-Based Models for Heart Failure (LINK)

Call to Action: Urgent Challenges in Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the AHA (LINK)

AHA’s Call to Action for Payment and Delivery System Reform (LINK)

Improving Heart Health Through Value-Based Payment Initiative

Improving Heart Health Through Value-Based Payment (PDF)