New AHA Hypertension Research: Clinically Meaningful Results for Medicare Advantage Plans

Key Takeaways From the Study

• Blood pressure improvements: Among members starting with BP >140/90, systolic blood pressure dropped an average of 14.5 mmHg in just three months.
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• Quality performance gains: The share of hypertensive members meeting the Controlling Blood Pressure (CBP) threshold rose from 60% to 71%, supporting a key star rating measure.
  
  
• Engagement drives outcomes: Members who used the program more achieved larger BP reductions, giving plans a clear, scalable lever to influence results.

Addressing One of MA’s Biggest Cost Drivers: Cardiovascular Disease

The stakes are high. Cardiovascular disease isn’t just the leading cause of death in the U.S.—it’s also one of the costliest conditions for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to manage. That means plan leaders are under constant pressure to improve outcomes while meeting quality benchmarks like the CBP measure.

At this year’s American Heart Association (AHA) Hypertension conference, Hello Heart research offered new insight into how plans can take on that challenge. 

The study analyzed real-world outcomes among MA beneficiaries enrolled in a mobile cardiovascular risk self-management program. Findings showed strong engagement leading to significant improvements in blood pressure control—results that matter for plans looking for scalable, evidence-based strategies.

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Why This Matters for Medicare Advantage

Cardiovascular disease is not only a leading health risk, it’s a financial and quality priority for MA plans. Improving blood pressure control directly affects CBP performance, star ratings, and bottom-line results. 

This new research highlights a practical, scalable way to engage members in blood pressure management that aligns with the measures plans are held accountable to.

Study at a Glance

The study examined real-world outcomes from MA beneficiaries who enrolled in the Hello Heart program due to uncontrolled hypertension, lack of engagement in managing their condition, or heart failure.

• Population: 951 users, representing 15% of eligible plan beneficiaries
• Inclusion: At least 3 months of continuous program use and 2 or more blood pressure recordings
• Program: A fully mobile, app-based cardiovascular risk self-management program (Hello Heart)
• Outcomes measured:
  
  • Change in systolic blood pressure
  • Percentage of hypertensive users reaching BP below the CBP cutpoint (<140/90 mmHg)
  • Engagement (measured by app sessions) as a predictor of blood pressure change

Who Enrolled: A Diverse, Clinically Complex Population

The study reflected the complexity MA plans face every day: older members with multiple risk factors and comorbidities.

• Gender: 51.7% female; 48.3% male
• Race: 37.2% Black, 33.9% White, 26.2% other race
• Comorbidities: diabetes 25.6%; hyperlipidemia 58.0%; anxiety/depression 18.3%; chronic kidney disease 5.4%

This diversity and clinical complexity are important. Digital interventions often raise questions about whether they can engage populations that are harder to reach—including members with multiple conditions and diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. 

In this study, those members enrolled and engaged, suggesting digital self-management can support health equity while addressing high-cost, high-risk groups.

Key Findings After Three Months

• Blood pressure change: Among participants with uncontrolled hypertension, systolic blood pressure dropped an average of 14.5 mmHg in just three months.
  
  
• CBP adherence: The share of hypertensive members meeting the Controlling Blood Pressure (CBP) threshold improved from 60% to 71%.
  
  
• Engagement: Members with higher engagement had larger reductions in blood pressure.

Together, these results show that members engaged, blood pressure improved in clinically meaningful ways, and CBP performance moved in the right direction.

What This Means for MA Plan Leaders

For plan executives and clinical leaders, the implications are clear. Even within three months, the study showed measurable progress toward CBP control, suggesting that digital self-management could support year-end performance. 

Equally important, the analysis found that the more members engaged, the greater their improvement. This is a lever that plans can influence with targeted onboarding, reminders, and outreach campaigns to encourage check-ins and reinforce engagement.

And with nearly 1,000 MA members included, the findings show that digital self-management is not a niche solution. It can work at scale across diverse and clinically complex populations.

How This Fits Into the Broader Evidence Base

This study adds to a growing body of Hello Heart research demonstrating meaningful outcomes in large, real-world populations. 

A JAMA Network Open study found sustained reductions in systolic blood pressure over multiple years, including a 21 mmHg average drop among members with baseline hypertension. 

Taken together, the evidence suggests mobile programs like Hello Heart can play an important role in supporting long-term blood pressure management and helping plans meet critical quality measures.

What to Keep in Mind

It’s important to note that the current analysis looked at outcomes over the first three months of enrollment. It shows associations between engagement and improvement, but not causation, and results apply specifically to this Medicare Advantage cohort. 

That said, the findings add to a credible evidence base for digital cardiovascular risk self-management, and highlight a path forward for plans balancing cost, quality, and scale.

Looking Ahead

Digital self-management is more than a wellness perk. It’s a proven way to improve blood pressure control, strengthen CBP performance, and engage members who are often the hardest to reach.

As cardiovascular disease continues to drive costs and weigh on quality metrics, programs like Hello Heart can give plans a practical, scalable path to meaningful results—without adding administrative burden.

Read the research report to see how digital self-management can support your plan’s CBP goals while helping members take a more active role in their heart health.