Control High Blood Pressure

The Issue

Each year in the United States, heart disease, stroke, and other vascular diseases contribute to 800,000 deaths. About 70 million American adults have high blood pressure and high cholesterol — the main causes of heart disease and stroke — yet only about half of adults with high blood pressure and one in three of those with high cholesterol have their condition under control.

High blood pressure costs the nation $46 billion each year — including the cost of health care services, medications to treat high blood pressure, and missed days of work.

 

Plan an Evidence-Based Intervention

Following are hypertension prevention interventions for payers identified by the CDC as having a proven evidence base for improving health outcomes and controlling health care costs:

  • Implement strategies that improve adherence to anti-hypertensive and lipid-lowering prescription medications via expanded access to: (1) low cost medication copayments, fixed dose medication combinations, extended medication fills; (2) innovative pharmacy packaging; and (3) improved care coordination using standardized protocols, primary care team, medication therapy management programs and self-monitoring of blood pressure with clinical support.
  • Provide home blood pressure monitors to patients with high blood pressure and reimburse for the clinical support services required for self-measured blood pressure monitoring.

Evidence Summary: Control High Blood Pressure

Download the CDC’s evidence summary that outlines key cost and health information for payers and providers, as well as demonstrated outcomes for each of the above interventions.
 

Explore Implementation Resources

The following resources can help payers, state officials, and providers to implement high-opportunity interventions aimed at controlling high blood pressure.  Does your state/program have resources to share? Send an email to 618@chcs.org.

See also CDC’s high blood pressureheart disease, and stroke program web pages.

Filter By:
6|18 State Spotlight | November 2022
Promoting strategies that improve access and adherence to anti-hypertensive medications, as well as a team-based approach to hypertension control.
Guide/Toolkit | September 2021
Provides a detailed description of an intervention intended to address health disparities among heart failure patients.
Fact Sheet | June 2020
Highlights important SMBP codes.
Guide/Toolkit | May 2020
Shares process improvement resources and tools that outpatient clinical settings can implement as they seek optimal hypertension control.
Guide/Toolkit | March 2020
Provides information about the Texas Medicaid benefits, policies, and procedures that are applicable to durable medical equipment suppliers and providers.
Brief/Report | February 2020
Contains a national analysis of self-measured blood pressure monitoring coverage and reimbursement policies by selected public and private payers/insurers across the United States.
6|18 State Spotlight | January 2020
Increasing patient adherence to anti-hypertensive medications and improving access to self-monitoring blood pressure devices to control high blood pressure.
Website/Resource Center
Provides videos of patients speaking about their stories taking control of their blood pressure.
Fact Sheet | October 2019
Contains information about California's durable medical equipment items not included in the following DME groups: infusion equipment, oxygen and respiratory equipment, speech generating devices, therapeutic anti-decubitus mattresses and bed products and wheelchairs and wheelchair accessories.
Guide/Toolkit | October 2019
Provides information on how people can obtain coverage for self-measured blood pressure monitoring devices, as well as resources available in Connecticut.
Engagement/Education Material | September 2019
Shares information on how states partnered with local, and community partners to increase the use of self-managed blood pressure for those with high blood pressure, as well as state-level findings. 
Guide/Toolkit | August 2019
Helps states understand the landscape of covered benefits offered by managed care organizations that target hypertension control services for Medicaid members.
Guide/Toolkit | July 2019
Provides general information on blood pressure, such as definitions, strategies on measuring blood pressure, and tips on healthy eating.
Technical Assistance Tool | November 2018
Shares patient and provider educational materials, ranging from fact sheets and podcasts to data maps and trainings.
Guide/Toolkit | July 2018
Guides help health care delivery organizations implement SMBP into practice or optimize their existing SMBP processes in a systematic way.
| June 2018
Showcases several community health centers' work to implement self-measured blood pressure monitoring programs in their clinics.
Video | April 2018
Demonstrates a step-by-step process on how to use a home blood pressure monitor.
Guide/Toolkit | February 2017
Summarizes strategies and lessons from state teams that participated in a collaborative to help strengthen blood pressure control.
Guide/Toolkit | January 2017
Details brief evidence summaries for effective blood pressure and cholesterol control strategies and highlights resources and tools useful for implementing these strategies.
Brief/Report | June 2016
Highlights lessons and case studies from states that have implemented hypertension diagnosis strategies.
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