Heart attacks and stroke continue to be the leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. The CDC reports that approximately 610,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. every year. This translates into one in every four deaths and has an estimated cost of $315.4 billion annually. According to the American Heart Association, "cardiovascular disease accounts for 17.3 million deaths a year — a number that’s expected to grow to more than 23.6 million by 2030. Its direct and indirect costs are estimated to be $320.1 billion."

The Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell has announced a unique opportunity for healthcare providers to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease for tens of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries. The Million Hearts Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction model is an innovative way to do so. The new approach uses a data-driven, predictive modelling approach that generates personalised risk scores and modification plans for patients.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has already started accepting applications for the Million Hearts CVD Risk Reduction model. Those who participate in the model will work with the beneficiaries and will determine their individual risk for a heart attack or stroke in the next ten years. Individual Patient risks will be identified such as smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol and the patients will be informed about the benefits of each approach. They will also get a personalised modification risk plan enabling them to target their specific risk factors. Providers will be paid for successfully reducing the risk for heart disease or stroke among high-risk patients.

The Million Hearts® CVD Risk Reduction model will operate for five years and aims to enrol over 300,000 Medicare beneficiaries and 720 diverse practices, varying in size and patient case mix; and including providers in general/family practice, general internal medicine, geriatric medicine, multi-specialty care, or cardiovascular care.

Source: CMS Innovation Center, American Heart Association

Image Credit: Million Hearts 

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cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, million hearts, million hearts risk reduction model The Million Hearts Risk Reduction Model helps determine individual risk factors for heart attack or stroke and provides personalised modification risk plans.