National Survey Finds Heart Conditions Top Cost Driver for Employers and Health Plans, But Action to Contain Costs Lags

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MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 2, 2026--

Heart disease is widely recognized as one of the most expensive and preventable health issues, yet most benefit leaders are not taking the urgent action required to control rising costs and improve outcomes, according to research released today by Hello Heart.

The 2026 Heart Health Matters Report—based on a survey of 400 benefits leaders across the public and private sectors and health plans—highlights a clear gap between awareness and action. That gap is costly: people with heart disease or key risk factors generate $9.3K in average annual medical costs, driven largely by preventable acute care events.

The report also surveyed leaders on topics including: medication adherence, AI readiness, indirect costs, and women’s heart health.

The Heart Health Action Gap

While more than 9 in 10 respondents said heart disease and related risk factors are a top cost driver for their organization, only about one-third ranked heart disease prevention as a top benefits priority.

This disconnect reflects the financial pressure employers and health plans face today: record healthcare cost growth is pulling attention toward high-visibility spend areas such as musculoskeletal conditions, cancer, and specialty drugs. Cardiovascular risk, by contrast, builds quietly, high blood pressure and high cholesterol often show few early symptoms. Costs tend to spike only after a heart attack or stroke, when prevention opportunities have already been missed.

“Heart disease is already one of the biggest cost centers in healthcare, but too often it is treated as an inevitable problem instead of a preventable one,” said Edo Paz, MD, SVP, Medical Affairs at Hello Heart. “Heart disease is frequently deprioritized in favor of more visible cost pressures, even though early prevention delivers stronger savings and outcomes.”

As a result, organizations remain underprepared for the heart health crisis. Only 32 percent of respondents reported feeling ready to manage significant increases in heart health claims costs in 2026, highlighting the urgent need for innovative approaches to heart disease prevention.

The Hidden Costs of Heart Disease

Heart disease is already a major driver of medical claims, but the survey suggests its total impact on employers and health plans is even larger. Specifically, respondents pointed to the indirect costs of unmanaged cardiovascular risk, including missed workdays, lost productivity, and burnout-related strain on the workforce.

“It’s obvious that an event like a heart attack or a heart-related hospitalization will lead to missed days at work,” Dr. Paz said. “But cardiovascular risk can quietly erode day-to-day functioning and performance long before a catastrophic event occurs.”

Strikingly, 87% of employer leaders and 85% of health plan leaders believe the indirect costs of unmanaged heart disease actually exceed direct cardiovascular claims costs.

Medication Adherence Drives Cost Savings

Medication management is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and hospitalizations related to cardiac events.

Nearly half of people treated for high blood pressure do not follow their prescribed medication plans, placing them at dramatically higher risk for acute events. Medication nonadherence accounts for up to one in five emergency department visits and $3,900 in avoidable annual healthcare costs per person.

Benefit leaders are eager to address this challenge and help members stay adherent. An overwhelming 95 percent of survey respondents said digital health tools for medication management are valuable levers for reducing the cost of chronic conditions. And 93 percent said their organization’s members would be comfortable using AI-powered tools to support members’ health via digital coaching and medication reminders.

Low Awareness of Heart Disease Deaths

Despite widespread awareness of the toll heart conditions take on productivity and healthcare costs, the survey found that only 51 percent of respondents know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for Americans, and has been for over 100 years.

Respondents demonstrated even lower awareness (47 percent) that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, who continue to die from heart attacks at twice the rate of men due to bias in cardiovascular care, sex-specific risks that rise during pregnancy and menopause, and lack of awareness of heart attack symptoms such as jaw pain, nausea and fatigue.

At the same time, a strong majority of benefit leaders expressed support for expanding heart health resources within women’s health benefits, signaling both a critical gap and a clear opportunity for action.

Prevention Is Possible with Urgent Action

The Heart Health Matters Report is clear this cost crisis can be turned around. Up to 80 percent of heart attacks and strokes are preventable through earlier intervention, lifestyle changes, and improved medication adherence.

Encouragingly, the majority of respondents expressed interest in specialized, condition-specific digital health solutions to help close the gap between awareness and meaningful action.

“Preventable cardiac events are placing unsustainable strain on organizations and individuals alike,” Dr. Paz added. “The good news is that when employers and health plans invest earlier, they can protect lives, reduce costs, and support healthier, more resilient people.”

More findings, including tailored insights and strategies for benefit leaders, are available here:

• Private Sector Employer Report
• Public Sector Employer Report
• Health Plan Report

About Hello Heart

Hello Heart is on a mission to change the way people care for their hearts. The company provides the first connected heart monitor, pill box, and app to help people track and manage their heart health. With Hello Heart, people are empowered to take steps to control their risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Peer-reviewed studies show that high-risk users of Hello Heart have seen meaningful drops in blood pressure, cholesterol and even weight.

Recognized as the digital leader in preventive heart health, Hello Heart is trusted by more than 150 leading Fortune 500 and government employers, national health plans, and labor organizations such as 3M, Lenovo, Northwestern Mutual, and the City of Fort Worth. Hello Heart clients can save $1,709 per enrolled user annually according to a peer-reviewed study published in leading health economics journal Value In Health.

Founded in 2013, Hello Heart has raised more than $138 million from top venture firms including Khosla Ventures, IVP, and Stripes. Hello Heart is a best-in-class solution on the American Heart Association’s Innovators’ Network, CVS Health Point Solutions Management offering, and many other leading health solution platforms. Visit www.helloheart.com for more information.

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CONTACT: Media Contact

Andrew Padgett

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KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY MEN HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCES BIOMETRICS CONSUMER APPS/APPLICATIONS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MEDICAL DEVICES SOFTWARE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY HEALTH INSURANCE WOMEN CARDIOLOGY

SOURCE: Hello Heart

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PUB: 02/02/2026 09:00 AM/DISC: 02/02/2026 09:00 AM

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