Migraines & Headaches Resource Center

There are more and more issues that insurance doesn’t cover, the list is growing longer, and it seems that nearly every day we hear of something else that has limited or no coverage.  While the list of the “not covered” or “just barely covered” is growing, the other list – of things that most people feel are necessary when it comes to health coverage – is dwindling.  To make matters worse, monthly premiums for health insurance coverage has skyrocketed to the point where too many people cannot afford to buy coverage at all. It is a sad state of affairs which leaves too many people too vulnerable for too many conditions that need to be treated.

One of the latest casualties when it comes to insurance limitations is migraine headaches.  Years ago, there was much to be learned about migraines, so these debilitating headaches were treated with various forms of pain medication and/or tranquilizers and muscle relaxers which were relatively inexpensive to pay for out of your own pocket. 

During the 80’s and 90’s newer prescription medications were developed specifically for the treatment, control and relief of migraines.  Sometimes they were used alone and sometimes in combination with pain medication and other medications.  The good news is that numerous medications specifically for migraines are available to migraine sufferers in many places throughout the U.S. and beyond.  The bad news is that many of these medications cost an arm and a leg and are covered in only a limited amount or not covered at all by heath insurance

Some migraine sufferers are limited to ten or twelve pills per month by their health insurance.   Because of this limitation, they have to make difficult decisions as to which migraines to treat, even though they should really be using this medication on every migraine they have.  If they run out of pills during the month and have to re-order, the insurance won’t help, so it becomes an out-of-pocket expense.  The expense for some of these medications is astonishing and migraine sufferers simply can’t afford to pay for them so they continue to suffer, even though they faithfully pay their insurance premiums.

It is unfortunate that now that a variety of migraine medicines are available, the insurance companies make it difficult, if not impossible, for people to get the medications they need.  Migraine sufferers seem to be the latest casualty of insurance cuts.   Will something be done to get better coverage to help migraine sufferers get the medication they need?