CVD Cost Burden
Cardiovascular disease is the most expensive chronic condition category for most employer health plans. A single heart attack generates $50,000–$150,000 in claims. Heart failure generates $30,000–$80,000 per year in ongoing management costs. Stroke generates $50,000–$200,000 in acute and rehabilitation costs.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a supervised exercise and education program for employees who have had a cardiac event. CR reduces CVD mortality by 25%, hospitalizations by 30%, and total healthcare costs by 20%. Despite its proven effectiveness, only 20–30% of eligible patients complete CR. Employers can improve CR completion rates by reducing cost-sharing and providing transportation support.
CVD Prevention Strategy
IQ Insight
The most effective CVD prevention strategy is aggressive management of CVD risk factors — hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and tobacco use. An employer who effectively manages these risk factors in their workforce will see dramatically lower CVD event rates over 5–10 years. The investment in risk factor management pays off in avoided heart attacks, strokes, and the catastrophic costs they generate.