BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. \u2014 A simple heart scan that Broward County leaders are working to offer for free is already being credited with saving lives \u2014 including that of a former Los Angeles Dodgers player.<\/p>\n
Steve Sax told Broward County commissioners that he nearly skipped the test before a friend encouraged him to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat test saved my life,\u201d he said. \u201cI learned that I was 95 to 99 percent blocked in my four major arteries. I was told I needed open-heart surgery and a quadruple bypass immediately.\u201d <\/p>\n
The scan, known as a cardiac CT angiography, uses X-rays to produce detailed images of the heart and blood vessels. County officials say the goal is to detect problems early, before they become life-threatening.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith technology now, there\u2019s a test that can look straight into your arteries. It shows how much heart plaque and soft plaque you have it beats the stress test,\u201d said Broward County Mayor Mark Bogen. <\/p>\n
The pilot program launched in the summer of 2023 under Bogen, who was then a county commissioner. Commissioners approved $10 million for the initiative, which resumed after he took office as mayor in the fall of 2025.<\/p>\n
The new program is now partnered with the Florida Panthers Foundation, which has pledged $1 million over five years, with testing provided by the Cleveland Clinic.<\/p>\n
Bogen said the effort is personal, pointing to his own experience with heart disease.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mom was a lady in her early 70s who traveled, walked, exercised, got around,\u201d he said. \u201cOne day, out of the clear blue, with no symptoms, no notice, she went down, had a heart attack, and within 10 minutes, she was gone.\u201d <\/p>\n
He said the scan also saved his own life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went for the test myself. They said I had a 70 percent blockage \u2014 soft plaque in my widowmaker,\u201d Bogen added.<\/p>\n
Broward is the first county in the country to offer a free cardiac CT scan. <\/p>\n
Since its launch, about 7,000 people have been scanned. Officials say half showed heart-related concerns, and 350 others had unrelated medical issues discovered.<\/p>\n
Bogen said he hopes to expand the program statewide and eventually nationwide.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me there\u2019s nothing more rewarding than hearing we saved someone\u2019s life,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
To qualify for the free scan, residents must live in Broward County, be 45 or older, and complete an online application.<\/a><\/p>\n