March Officially Designated as Blood Clot Awareness Month: What It Means for Your Health and Wallet

This resolution is short, sweet, and focused on one critical thing: officially supporting the designation of March as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE) Awareness Month. That’s it. It doesn't write new laws or spend money, but it puts the Senate on the record supporting the goals of making sure people know about these serious, and often preventable, blood clot conditions.

The $10 Billion Problem You Might Not Know About

If you’ve ever had a long flight or been laid up after surgery, you might have heard of DVT—a clot usually in the leg. If that clot breaks loose and travels to your lungs, it becomes a PE, which is often fatal. The bill text highlights that DVT and PE affect up to 900,000 people annually in the U.S. and cause between 60,000 and 100,000 deaths. Crucially, many of these deaths are preventable, which is why awareness matters.

Beyond the human cost, these conditions hit the healthcare system hard. The resolution points out that DVT and PEs cost the U.S. healthcare system about $10 billion in extra medical expenses every year. Think of this resolution as a public service announcement sponsored by the government, aiming to chip away at that massive cost through education rather than regulation.

Who Needs to Pay Attention

While anyone can get a blood clot, the resolution emphasizes that certain groups are at a much higher risk. If you are dealing with cancer, your risk is elevated, and it actually lowers your survival rate. For the busy professionals in the 25-45 age bracket, it’s also important to note that pregnancy significantly increases the risk, and that heightened risk lasts for up to three months after giving birth. Long periods of immobility, like sitting at a desk for hours or traveling across the country, also increase your chances.

By formally recognizing March as Awareness Month, the Senate is trying to shine a spotlight on these risk factors. The hope is that widespread awareness will lead to earlier detection, better prevention strategies in hospitals (where many preventable clots occur), and ultimately, fewer people ending up in the emergency room with a life-threatening PE. Since this is a symbolic resolution, it doesn't change anything overnight, but it signals official support for the medical community’s efforts to educate the public on how to spot the signs and know when to seek help.