February is American Heart Month, a time when heart health gets extra attention. One side of the story that rarely makes the headlines is cost. Heart disease is not only the leading cause of death in the U.S.; it's also one of the most expensive conditions to treat.

Key Points

• The CDC estimates heart disease costs the U.S. about $250 billion a year in health care, medications and lost productivity.
• Major procedures like bypass surgery and valve replacement commonly cost tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Many people with significant heart disease have no symptoms before a crisis.
• Finding disease early creates opportunities for less invasive, less costly prevention.

What Treatment Can Cost

Published cost estimates illustrate how expensive advanced heart disease can be. Coronary bypass surgery and heart valve replacement each commonly run from tens of thousands to more than $200,000 before insurance, depending on the hospital and complexity. A heart transplant, including evaluation, surgery and follow-up care, can exceed $1 million.

Nationally, the CDC estimates heart disease costs about $250 billion each year when health care services, medicines and lost productivity are combined.

The Costs That Don't Show Up on a Bill

Financial figures only capture part of the toll. A heart attack or emergency surgery affects entire families — time off work, caregiving responsibilities, recovery and the emotional strain of a sudden health crisis.

Why Early Detection Changes the Equation

Heart disease usually develops for years before it causes symptoms. When plaque is found early, the response is often lifestyle changes and medication rather than emergency procedures. That's why preventive imaging focuses on identifying disease before it becomes a crisis.

A coronary calcium scan measures plaque in the heart's arteries and is read by a radiologist. Imaging centers that offer these scans frequently report that many people with significant findings had no symptoms at all. Pricing for preventive heart imaging is generally a small fraction of the cost of treating advanced disease; current options are listed on the Advanced Body Scan pricing page.

Making Heart Health a Priority

Too often, the nudge people need to take their heart health seriously arrives as a medical emergency. A better approach is to learn your risk factors, keep up with checkups and consider whether screening makes sense for you. Stories from people whose scans revealed hidden heart disease are collected on the Stories of Survival page.