Supporting Employees with Hypertension Management

Overview

Nearly half of U.S. adults have hypertension, which increases the risk of heart disease—the leading cause of death in both the U.S. and Kentucky. Despite this, only 22.5% of those with hypertension have it controlled to the recommended level of <130/80 mm Hg. Hypertension is managed through medication and lifestyle changes. It also has significant costs: in 2021, annual medical expenses for people with hypertension were $2,926 higher than for those without it, and one in eight healthcare dollars was spent on heart disease.

Kentucky employers are directly impacted by the health and economic costs of hypertension. Improving access to comprehensive care through employer-sponsored insurance can help employees manage their hypertension and reduce healthcare costs. For employees without employer-sponsored insurance, community-based resources can support better retention and productivity.

Kentuckiana Health Collaborative (KHC) employer roundtables convene employers to learn about pressing health issues facing their employees and the communities that they reside in. These convenings are a method for healthcare employers to discuss their current wins, challenges, and opportunities to address these pressing health issues, identify approaches to intervening, and coalesce around shared priorities. At this employer roundtable, employers will focus on supporting employees and health plan members that are managing hypertension.  

Learning Objectives

• Convene employers to understand the biology and health, economic, and societal impacts of hypertension 
• Review key components of hypertension care 
• Identify the current state of employer benefit coverage for managing hypertension 
• Identify opportunities for employers to enhance their benefit design to ensure quality, affordability, and equity for hypertension care 
• Explore community-based resources to support employees with hypertension

Date, Time, and Location

Tuesday May 6, 2025
10:00am-11:30am ET

This event is virtual. A Zoom link is provided after registration.

Audience

This event is reserved for individuals representing employers. Relevant roles include, but are not limited to, human resources, wellness, health and safety, and benefits administration.

Agenda

10:00am

Welcome and Introductions

10:05am

The Impact of Hypertension
Vedant Gupta, MD, FACC, Cardiologist, University of Kentucky Healthcare

10:35am

Employer Action Items to Address Hypertension
Neil Goldfarb, Former President and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health

11:05am

Employer Discussion

11:25am

Closing