Indicator Gauge Icon Legend
Legend Colors
Red is bad, green is good, blue is not statistically different/neutral.
Compared to Distribution
the value is in the best half of communities.
the value is in the 2nd worst quarter of communities.
the value is in the worst quarter of communities.
Compared to Target
meets target; 
does not meet target.
Compared to a Single Value
lower than the comparison value;
higher than the comparison value;
not statistically different from comparison value.
Trend
non-significant change over time; 
significant change over time; 
no change over time.
Compared to Prior Value
higher than the previous measurement period;
lower than the previous measurement period;
no statistically different change from previous measurement period.
Significantly better than the overall value
Significantly worse than the overall value
No significant difference with the overall value
No data on significance available
Heart Failure: Medicare Population
This indicator is archived and is no longer being updated. Click to learn more
This indicator shows the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries who were treated for heart failure.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for persons aged 65 years or older, persons under age 65 years with certain disabilities, and persons of any age with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Why is this important?
Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump sufficient amounts of blood to the rest of the body, resulting in increased blood pressure and fluid retention in the limbs and/or organs. Heart failure is caused by a variety of conditions that weaken the heart, including coronary artery disease, diabetes, heart attack, high blood pressure, and congenital heart defects. Treatment for heart failure begins with a combination of medication, lifestyle changes, and maintaining a low blood pressure to prevent heart failure from advancing. If the condition worsens, more advanced treatments--such as surgery--may become necessary. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 5.7 million people in the United States have heart failure and the condition costs the nation $34.4 billion annually. The National Institute of Health states that heart failure is most common in people age 65 and older and it is the number one reason older individuals are hospitalized.
| County | Source | Measurement Period | Percent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
There are 22 County values. The lowest value is 9%, and the highest value is 15%.
Half of the values are between 11% and 13%.
The middle (median) value is 12%.
Data Source
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Maintained By: Conduent Healthy Communities Institute (Methodology)
Filed under: Health / Heart Disease & Stroke, Health / Older Adults, Health Outcomes, Adults, Older Adults, People with Disabilities