Medicare Will Pay $50k for Your Heart Attack. It Should Pay $100 to Prevent It

Medicare will pay $50,000 to treat a heart attack but only recently began covering coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans, simple 10-minute tests costing about $100 that can detect coronary disease years before a heart attack occurs. The ACC and AHA finally incorporated CAC scans into their prevention guidelines in March 2026, recognizing that these scans directly detect atherosclerosis rather than merely estimating risk through traditional calculators, potentially allowing doctors to identify high-risk patients who need preventive treatment and avoid unnecessary medication for those with zero calcium scores.