For migraine patients, not all treatment options are on the table – even during open enrollment season.
As patients peruse the health plans available to them for the coming year, many are looking to see which plan best covers their medications and devices. And migraine patients now have a number of treatment options to consider, thanks to ongoing innovation. Treatment spans prescription medications as well as non-pharmacologic headache devices; both have been proven to mitigate migraine symptoms and reduce headache days.
But while a variety of headache devices have been cleared by the FDA, many insurance plans don’t cover them.
The Value of Headache Devices
The most common devices are headband, armband and handheld devices, which affect the nerves that can cause migraine attacks, thereby reducing pain.
Such devices can offer a number of benefits to migraine patients because they are self-administered and can provide instant relief. Patients have reported reduced pain within hours of using a headache device.
Some patients who use devices have also found they are less reliant on prescribed medications to treat migraine symptoms. Though devices may not fully replace medication, they can be used alongside them to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks and their debilitating symptoms.
From patients who dislike needles to those who experience bothersome side effects from oral medications, many people living with migraine consider devices an important addition to the expanding pool of treatment options.
Making All Treatment Options Accessible
For the more than 40 million Americans living with migraine disease, finding the right treatment regimen can be difficult. Insurance plans should ensure that patients have the necessary coverage to access their preferred treatments, be they medications or devices.
