Heart Disease: The Leading Cause of Death in the US

Chronic Disease & Prevention

February is American Heart Month. Learn more about cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases below:

• Cardiovascular Disease: The number of cardiovascular disease deaths in the United States, including from heart disease and stroke, surpasses all cancers and accidental deaths combined.
  

• Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: By 2060, 1 million new dementia cases are expected each year. The economic burden of Alzheimer’s and other dementias is projected to reach nearly $1 trillion by 2050 (in 2024 dollars). Research into these conditions has been hindered by numerous obstacles and no cure or treatment has been found.

• Diabetes: Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) makes up 90% to 95% of diabetes cases. Its prevalence has risen 20% in the past decade, particularly affecting older adults, low-income populations, Black Americans, and those in the South and Midwest. In 2022, care for people with diabetes accounted for 1 in 4 US health care dollars, with 61% of the spending attributable to diabetes.

• Chronic Disease Prevention: Chronic diseases are the top causes of illness, death, and disability in the US, yet many are preventable. Key risk factors include physical inactivity, poor diet, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol use. Prevention involves addressing these risk factors, undergoing routine primary care visits and screenings, knowing family health history, and addressing the social determinants of health.

Resources & Initiatives

• Elevance Health's Whole Health Index is a first-of-its-kind assessment of individual health, evaluating physical, behavioral, and social factors. Their Social Needs Investment Lab offers actionable insights to enhance health outcomes and equity across communities.
• The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium aims to improve care quality and outcomes for cardiovascular patients statewide through data sharing and the implementation of best practices.
• Manage Together, a diabetes management program funded by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation and delivered by Clemson Rural Health, has shown early success at reducing risk for heart disease, kidney disease and amputation from uncontrolled diabetes.
• Tufts University recently launched the Food is Medicine National Network of Excellence, featuring members like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Elevance Health. This initiative will assess the impact of Food is Medicine interventions on health outcomes.
• Wellmark Advantage Health Plan is providing meals to older adults and veterans in Iowa and South Dakota to address food insecurity, ensure access to nutritious food, and support overall health.

Health Care Industry News

• Cybersecurity: New data found that the Change Healthcare cyberattack impacted nearly 190 million people, a significant increase from earlier reports. As these incidents become frequent, a new survey finds more than 80% of health care organizations have detected an infrastructure-related cyberattack within the past year. New data shows certain ransomware groups are disproportionately targeting health care organizations.
  

• Artificial Intelligence: Artificial intelligence technology continues to have a far-reaching effect on the health sector. A new Health Affairs study revealed approximately 65% of US hospitals have used AI-assisted predictive models, primarily for inpatient care.

• Provider Shortages: States and health systems are taking various approaches to address the national provider shortage. A proposal in Texas would loosen practice constraints for out-of-state providers. Other states, like Delaware, have launched a provider loan repayment program. The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission has released recommendations to address the primary care shortage. In Washington, Premera Blue Cross and Kinwell Medical Group increased the number of providers and expanded services, resulting in a 67% increase in patient visits in 2024.

Health Policy Watch

As a new policy landscape takes shape nationwide, shifts in legislation may impact Medicaid use, child health, drug costs, and more.

National

• Executive Orders: Initial Trump executive orders reversed policies on health care costs, protections from discrimination, drug prices, and more. The new administration has also stopped communications from all federal health care agencies. The Association of Health Care Journalists provided a resource for reporters covering potential drug pricing changes.
  

• Public Health Information: Thousands of web pages providing public health information have been removed from federal websites, though the situation is changing daily. Health experts are concerned about the loss of access to valuable data.

• Limits on AI in Medicine: Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb reports that new restrictions on AI policies could become barriers to realizing the full value of AI in medicine.

State & Local

• Tracking State-Level Drug Policy & Health Care Costs: The National Academy for State Health Policy has launched two trackers to help legislators follow policy changes focused on lowering health care costs and reducing prescription drug costs.
  

• New Policies Spur Increase in Childhood Vaccine Exemptions: Lawmakers and parents in several states are requesting legislation or using existing laws to request exemptions from childhood vaccines. Washington D.C. and 40 states saw increased requests, while Texas lawmakers have filed more than 20 bills seeking vaccine mandate rollbacks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in the 2023-24 school year coverage dropped to 93% for all reported vaccines.

• Medicaid Cuts May Hit Hard in South Carolina & Rural Areas: Policy proposals point to potential cuts in Medicaid eligibility in South Carolina, a state where Medicaid covers 51.1% of children in rural areas (the national average is 40.6%), and 60% of births in the state. The 1 in 5 Americans who live in rural areas are more likely to lose coverage if Medicaid funding is cut. A new state health policy tracker reports on the value of continuous Medicaid enrollment in improving children’s health and wellbeing.

• Policy Shifts on Maternal Health: While each state has a medical committee that reviews deaths during and after pregnancy, Georgia has dismissed its maternal mortality review committee. This follows earlier actions to limit maternal mortality tracking in Texas and Idaho.
  

• States Reconsidering GLP-1 Coverage: Many state lawmakers are assessing the high and rising costs of covering weight loss drugs through Medicaid, state health plans, or Affordable Care Act plans. Medicaid plans in at least thirteen states are covering GLP-1s for obesity. For state employees, North Carolina and West Virginia have stopped coverage, while Illinois and Connecticut are continuing to cover the drugs.

The Impact of Natural Disasters on Health Care

Natural disasters, along with the subsequent recovery period, can severely impact both physical and mental health.

• Toxic Air: Wildfires in Los Angeles have created unsafe living conditions due to the high presence of debris and poor air quality. Experts warn that the risks associated with smoke exposure can persist for weeks or months and that toxic contaminants from destroyed structures pose unknown health risks.
  

• Health System Impact: Demand for emergency services, closed facilities, and reduced patient access has strained public health infrastructure after California’s wildfires. People with necessary prescriptions and medical equipment are facing a medical crisis after leaving their belongings behind during an evacuation.

• Wildfires & Housing Security: The California wildfires destroyed thousands of homes, leaving many residents at an increased risk of homelessness and housing insecurity.

• Hurricanes & Health Impacts: A New York Times investigation looked at the causes of death linked to 2024’s Hurricane Helene and found that flooding overtook the storm surge as the greatest threat. A recent Nature study highlighted the lingering risk of death long after a hurricane passes, finding that the average tropical cyclone in the U.S. caused an additional 7,000 to 11,000 deaths over the 15 years after the storm.

Resources & Initiatives

• Experts provide recommendations on how to clean up after the Los Angeles wildfires. Additionally, health companies have coordinated aid.
• The American Lung Association lists tips for people affected by the California wildfires.
• Mass General Brigham shares information on the mental health effects of natural disasters.
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina continues to provide support to communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, contributing over $3.2 million in donations in partnership with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.