Long Live Women: The Urgent Case for Prioritizing Senior Women’s Heart Health

When a man clutches his chest in pain and experiences shortness of breath, people jump into action. When a woman feels nausea or dizziness — heart attack symptoms unique to us — she’s more likely to be dismissed, misdiagnosed, and sent home without the care she needs.
That dismissal by the healthcare system has cost women their lives for decades. And for women 65 and older, the risk of heart attack is even greater.

After menopause, falling estrogen levels remove an important layer of cardiovascular protection, leaving women more vulnerable to heart disease and heart attacks.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. In fact, it takes more lives than all cancers combined. Yet many health plans don’t have a targeted strategy to reduce hospitalizations and prevent avoidable deaths from heart disease.

This is a health crisis hiding in plain sight. But Medicare Advantage leaders have an opportunity to help their female members better understand their risk.

The Symptoms Are Subtle. The Outcomes Are Not.

Heart disease in women doesn’t always come with the dramatic, chest-clutching pain we’re used to seeing in movies — in most instances, portrayed by men. That’s part of the problem.

Instead, the symptoms in women can appear as:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Jaw, back, or shoulder pain
• Shortness of breath

Adding to the problem is that often not even the women experiencing these symptoms recognize them as potentially life-threatening. As a result, many delay care.

And when they do seek help, women are twice as likely as men to be misdiagnosed during a heart attack. And they’re twice as likely to die from it.

Even when they get the right diagnosis, their access to recovery support is often limited. Only 19 percent of women enroll in cardiac rehab, compared to 29 percent of men. And fewer women receive the medications that could prevent another event.

Sharon’s Story

These gaps aren't just statistics. They show up in the lives of real women every day. 

Sharon, a longtime Hello Heart user, mother, grandmother, and neurosurgery department employee at Baylor College of Medicine, has lived through four heart attacks and carries nine cardiac stents. One night, she woke up in terrible pain.

“I tried to assess whether I was having a stroke, but the severity of my symptoms made it difficult to think clearly,” she told us. "I woke up and I couldn't move because my head was all of a sudden in this excruciating pain. I couldn't breathe."

These don’t sound like textbook heart attack symptoms, but Sharon later learned she was experiencing a thyroid storm — a rare, life-threatening condition that, with her history of heart problems, could have been fatal. Thankfully, her Hello Heart monitor alerted her that she needed emergency care. 

We hear stories like Sharon’s all the time. Her story is a reminder that women don’t just need better awareness, they need the right tools, at the right time, to take control of their heart health before it’s too late.

Why This Matters to Medicare Advantage Plans

Cardiovascular disease is a public health concern that affects MA plans. Risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol can lead to more intensive and costly chronic disease management, hospital visits, and medication. The average Medicare member with heart disease costs more than $18,000 per year.

The good news is that early intervention works. When plans invest in preventive care like regular blood pressure checks, cholesterol monitoring, and simple diagnostics (like A1C tests), outcomes improve. 

Costs come down and Star Ratings go up. In fact, cardiovascular care affects at least 10 different Star Rating measures, from hospital readmissions to blood pressure control to medication adherence.

And the best news of all is: 80 percent of heart attacks and strokes are preventable.

What Medicare Advantage Leaders Can Do Right Now

We’re not starting from zero. The tools, programs, and clinical guidelines already exist, but haven’t been consistently applied to meet the specific needs of older women. 

That’s the gap. 

And Medicare Advantage leaders are in an ideal position to help close it.

Here’s where MA leaders can start:

• Educate members about women-specific symptoms like fatigue, nausea, and jaw pain through newsletters and webinars
• Partner with PCPs to include cardiovascular risk checks for postmenopausal women during wellness visits
• Support preventive care with targeted programs for high-risk members that focus on topics like cholesterol control
• Host local screenings for blood pressure and cholesterol levels in underserved areas
• Incentivize cardiac rehab, including transport support through rehab center partnerships
• Use digital tools like Hello Heart for reminders about meds, exercise, and tracking blood pressure

These aren’t hypothetical ideas. They’re practical, proven, and your members are ready for them right now.

How Hello Heart Helps MA Plans Drive Results

Managing heart health becomes more challenging as women age, especially after menopause when new risks pop up and support often falls short. That’s where thoughtful, tech-enabled care can make a difference.

Hello Heart helps women: 

• Track blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and medications using the Hello Heart app and connected monitor
• Stay on top of prescriptions with the Hello Heart Pill Box, which supports adherence through smart reminders and real-time tracking
• Get personalized insights that support better self-management and improve medication adherence
• Share progress and reports with their doctors to support more connected, proactive care

And the results speak for themselves:

• Women 65+ using Hello Heart have seen an average 18 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure within six months
• These blood pressure improvements are associated with an estimated 36% reduction in cardiovascular risk
• Plans have saved up to 18% in annual costs through improved outcomes

These are real improvements for real people.

By focusing on women’s heart health, Medicare Advantage plans can improve outcomes, reduce long-term costs, and strengthen plan performance.

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Interested in learning more?

→ Download our Women’s Heart Health Guide for MA leaders 

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