Women's Heart Disease Awareness and Screening

Published 02/14/2025

February 7, 2025, is National Wear Red Day.

According to the American Heart Association, the Go Red for Women campaign was launched in 2004 with the goal of raising awareness and fighting a woman’s greatest heath threat — cardiovascular disease. Today, Go Red for Women not only advocates for the health of all women, funds lifesaving research and educates women across the United States and around the world, but is committed to removing the unique barriers women face to experiencing better health and well-being. 

Only about half (56 percent) of American women recognize heart disease as the number one killer of the female population. However, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports heart disease as the leading cause of death for women at any age with more than 60 million women (44 percent) in the U.S. living with some form. In fact, in 2021, heart disease was responsible for the death of 310,661 women — or about one in every five female deaths. 

Educate your patients about the facts, signs, symptoms, and risk factors of heart disease in an effort to protect their health and provide proper treatment.

10 Facts You Need to Know About Women and Cardiovascular Disease

  1. Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined, and yet only 44 percent of women recognize that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health threat.
     
  2. Among females 20 years and older, nearly 45 percent are living with some form of cardiovascular disease and less than 50 percent of women entering pregnancy in the U.S. have good heart health.
     
  3. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of new moms and accounts for over one-third of maternal deaths. Black women have some of the highest maternal mortality rates.
     
  4. Overall, up to 20 percent of women will have a health issue during pregnancy, and high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes during pregnancy greatly increasing a women’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life.
     
  5. Going through menopause does not cause cardiovascular disease, but the approach of menopause marks a point in midlife when women's cardiovascular risk factors can accelerate, making increased focus on health during this pivotal life stage crucial.
     
  6. Most cardiac and stroke events can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes, such as moving more, eating smart, and managing blood pressure.
     
  7. More than 50 percent of high blood pressure deaths, otherwise known as hypertension or the “silent killer,” are in women; and out of all women, nearly 60 percent of Black females have hypertension — more than any other race or ethnicity.
     
  8. While there are an estimated 4.1 million female stroke survivors living today, approximately 60 percent of total stroke deaths are in women.
     
  9. Women are often less likely to receive bystander CPR because rescuers often fear accusations of inappropriate touching, sexual assault, or injuring the victim.
     
  10. Women continue to be underrepresented in Research, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) fields. In fact, women occupy nearly half of all U.S. jobs (48 percent), but only 27 percent of jobs in STEM fields. Furthermore, only 38 percent of participants in clinical cardiovascular trials are women.

Types of Heart Disease Often Seen in Women 

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Arrhythmia
  • Heart failure

Risks for heart disease

  • Lifestyle
  • Diet 
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Excessive alcohol — women should have no more than one drink a day
  • Tobacco use
  • Genetics and family history
  • Age 
  • Race

Race and ethnicity

According to the CDC, heart disease and stroke can affect anyone, but some groups are more likely to have conditions that increase their risk for cardiovascular disease.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., including African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and White people. For Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic people, heart disease is second only to cancer. 

Screenings, Symptoms and Treatment

Screenings

  • Cardiovascular screening including lipid profile
  • Diabetes screening

Frequent Symptoms Women Experience

  • Angina (dull, heavy chest discomfort)
  • Pain in neck, jaw or throat
  • Pain in one or both arms
  • Pain in upper abdomen or back
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Shortness of breath
  • Tiredness that feels excessive and relentless
  • Diaphoresis
  • Lightheadedness

Treatment

  • Monitor and control arrhythmia
  • Monitor and control cholesterol
  • Monitor and control blood pressure
  • Monitor and manage diabetes
  • Medications as needed
  •  Mental health referral as needed

Cardiovascular Disease Screening Test — National Coverage Determination 190.23.

HCPCS and CPT® Codes

What’s Changed?
No FY 2025 first quarter changes.

80061 — Lipid panel This panel must include the following: Cholesterol, serum, total (82465) Lipoprotein, direct measurement, high density cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) (83718) Triglycerides (84478).

ICD-10 Codes — Z13.6.

Note: Additional ICD-10 codes may apply. Find individual change requests and specific ICD-10-CM service codes we cover on the CMS ICD-10 web page. Find your MAC’s website for more information.

Medicare Covers patients with Medicare Part B without apparent cardiovascular disease signs or symptoms.

Frequency — once every five years (see FAQ on how to check eligibility).

Medicare Beneficiary/Patient Pays no copayment, coinsurance, or deductible.

*CPT® only copyright 2024 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. 
Telehealth Eligible icon 

Counseling to Prevent Tobacco Use

National Coverage Determination 210.4.1

HCPCS and CPT® Codes

What’s Changed?
No FY 2025 first quarter changes.

  • 99406 — Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intermediate, greater than three minutes up to 10 minutes
  • 99407 — Smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling visit; intensive, greater than 10 minutes

ICD-10 Codes
F17.210, F17.211, F17.213, F17.218, F17.219, F17.220, F17.221, F17.223, F17.228, F17.229, F17.290, F17.291, F17.293, F17.298, F17.299, T65.211A, T65.212A, T65.213A, T65.214A, T65.221A, T65.222A, T65.223A, T65.224A, T65.291A, T65.292A, T65.293A, T65.294A, Z87.891

Note: Additional ICD-10 codes may apply. Find individual change requests and specific ICD-10-CM service codes we cover on the CMS ICD-10 web page. Find your MAC’s website for more information.

Medicare Covers outpatient and hospitalized patients with Medicare Part B who meet these criteria:

  • Use tobacco, regardless of whether they exhibit signs or symptoms of tobacco-related disease
  • Are competent and alert during counseling
  • A qualified physician or other Medicare-recognized practitioner provides counseling

Frequency
Two cessation attempts per year (each attempt may include a maximum of four intermediate or intensive sessions, with the patient getting up to eight sessions per year). See FAQ on how to check eligibility.

Patient Pays no copayment, coinsurance, or deductible.

*CPT® only copyright 2024 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. 

Diabetes Screening

HCPCS and CPT® Codes

What’s Changed?
No FY 2025 quarter 1 changes

  • 82947 — Glucose; quantitative, blood (except reagent strip)
  • 82950 — Glucose; post glucose dose (includes glucose)
  • 82951 — Glucose; tolerance test (GTT), 3 specimens (includes glucose)
  • 83036 — Hemoglobin; glycosylated (A1C)

ICD-10 Codes — Z13.1.

Note: Additional ICD-10 codes may apply. Find individual change requests and specific ICD-10-CM service codes we cover on the CMS ICD-10 webpage. Find your MAC’s website for more information.

Medicare Covers patients with Medicare Part B with certain diabetes risk factors or who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Patients previously diagnosed with diabetes aren’t eligible for this benefit.

Frequency

Patient Pays no copayment, coinsurance, or deductible.

Other Notes

  • Add modifier TS (follow-up service) when patients meet the pre-diabetes definition
  • We cover a Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) blood test when a patient gets a diabetes screening

*CPT® only copyright 2024 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Telehealth Eligible

Telehealth Eligible icon

Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT)

National Coverage Determination 180.1

HCPCS and CPT® Codes

What’s Changed?
No FY 2025 quarter 1 changes

  • 97802 — Medical nutrition therapy; initial assessment and intervention, individual, face-to-face with the patient, each 15 minutes
  • 97803 — Medical nutrition therapy; re-assessment and intervention, individual, face-to-face with the patient, each 15 minutes
  • 97804 — Medical nutrition therapy; group (2 or more individual(s)), each 30 minutes
  • G0270 —Medical nutrition therapy; reassessment and subsequent intervention(s) following second referral in same year for change in diagnosis, medical condition or treatment regimen (including additional hours needed for renal disease), individual, face to face with the patient, each 15 minutes
  • G0271 — Medical nutrition therapy, reassessment and subsequent intervention(s) following second referral in same year for change in diagnosis, medical condition, or treatment regimen (including additional hours needed for renal disease), group (2 or more individuals), each 30 minutes

ICD-10 Codes: Additional ICD-10 codes may apply. Find individual change requests and specific ICD-10-CM service codes we cover on the CMS ICD-10 web page. Find your MAC’s website for more information.

Medicare Covers certain patients with Medicare Part B who meet all these criteria:

  • Referred by a physician
  • Diagnosed with diabetes or renal disease or had a kidney transplant within the past 36 months
  • Got services from a registered dietitian or nutrition professional

Frequency

  • Initial year: Three hours of one-on-one counseling
  • Subsequent years: Two hours (we consider additional hours medically necessary and covered if a physician determines there’s a change in the patient’s medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment regimen that requires an MNT change and orders additional hours during that episode of care)
  • See FAQ on how to check eligibility.

Patient Pays no copayment, coinsurance, or deductible.

Other Notes

  • You can’t bill diabetes self-management training and MNT on the same service date for the same patient or incident to a physician’s or nonphysician practitioner’s professional services
  • If a physician determines both MNT and diabetes self-management training are medically necessary in the same episode of care, we’ll cover both services’ initial and subsequent years without decreasing either benefit as long as they aren’t provided on the same service date
  • A registered dietitian (RD) or nutrition professional must personally perform MNT services they bill for
  • Enrolled RDs and nutrition professionals may bill for, or on behalf of, a DSMT entity as the DSMT-certified provider regardless of which professional provided the actual education services

*CPT® only copyright 2024 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

You the provider, can work together with your patient to prevent or treat the medical conditions that lead to heart disease. Discuss your treatment plan regularly. 

References and Resources


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