February is Heart Health Awareness Month. We encourage everyone to take a moment and think about their cardiovascular health. Millions of Americans suffer from heart disease, and it is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
Heart problems disproportionately affect African-American men and women. This Black History Month, we should consider the historical and systemic reasons for that. African Americans in the United States have historically had less economic opportunity and less access to health care than other groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control, as of 2019, African Americans were 30% more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic white people.
One thing we can celebrate this Heart Health Awareness Month is that due to the Inflation Reduction Act, many drugs, including drugs to treat heart or cardiovascular disease, are now subject to price negotiation through Medicare. Of the first ten drugs subject to price negotiation, five of them are heart drugs, including Eliquis, Jardiance, Farxiga, Entresto, and Xarelto. Millions of Americans on Medicare use these drugs and will see significant cost savings from price negotiation. 673,000 Michiganders will save an average of $356 per year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Center for Disease Control has a helpful page if you are looking for more information about heart health.
###
