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Heart Attacks Can Be Eradicated Like Polio and Chickenpox
Help SHAPE achieve the ambitious goal of eradicating heart attacks and saving families like JoAnne's from such a tragic experience. JoAnne is now a SHAPE volunteer.
On June 19th, 2009 Texas legislatures passed HB 1290 as the first preventive cardiovascular bill for early detection of hidden heart disease using coronary artery calcium (CAC) score. The bill was signed into law by Texas Governor on September 1st, 2010.. However, as of today no other state covers for CAC scoring and most patients are forced to pay out of pocket. Let's change the status quo and secure national coverage for CAC scoring. Ask your representative to support SHAPE's efforts to secure national Medicare coverage for the proper use of CAC scoring in preventing heart attacks.
SHAPE is a nonprofit volunteer-based organization founded by Dr. Morteza Naghavi in 2001 and is dedicated to the mission of eradicating heart attacks by raising awareness on early detection and treatment of the "Vulnerable Patient".
Who is a Vulnerable Patient? A high-risk coronary artery disease patient who has no symptoms and is going to experience a potentially fatal heart attack within 12 months. These patients are completely unaware of their risk.
How can we detect the Vulnerable Patient? We do not have an ideal screening test to detect these asymptomatic patients and save their life from a sudden cardiac death. However, the best screening tool we have today is a coronary artery calcium (CAC) score which detects individuals with calcified coronary plaque buildup. While medical researchers are actively at work to develop the ideal tool, we strongly recommend that you undergo a CAC scan and find out your CAC score. If your score is over zero, take preventive actions. Do not wait till you have symptoms, it will be too late.
Is CAC scan covered by health insurance? Unfortunately it is not covered. However, Texas and New Mexico have passed law that mandates insurance companies to cover CAC scans. SHAPE has been leading a nationwide initiative to secure Medicare coverage for CAC.
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