Encourage America's Health Plans: Protect Patients with Migraine from Treatment Delays
- by: National Headache Foundation
- recipient: AHIP Senior Leaders
Over 40 million Americans live with migraine disease, a challenging neurological disease that causes severe pain and symptoms for patients. But it's more than just symptoms. Migraine disease can disrupt every aspect of an individual's life: their work, personal relationships, and quality time with family and friends.
The realities of migraine are only compounded during the holidays. For so many of us, this is a time for gatherings, celebration, and memories. For patients with migraine, an attack can derail it all.
All too often, patients with migraine face the burden of unnecessary treatment delays. When health insurers implement prior authorizations, it requires a patient's doctor to get approval from the insurance company before a patient can access treatment. Prior authorizations harm patients and disrupt the patient-doctor relationship.
This year, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) – the national association representing the health insurance industry – and the nation's largest insurers committed to streamline, simplify, and reduce prior authorization for patients. This will benefit our friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers who are living with migraine.
Now, it's time to put commitments into action – and it should start with migraine.
Send a letter now! Encourage senior leaders at America's health plans to reduce unnecessary prior authorization barriers, starting with migraine treatments, so that American patients can access treatments prescribed by their doctors promptly and without unnecessary roadblocks.
The realities of migraine are only compounded during the holidays. For so many of us, this is a time for gatherings, celebration, and memories. For patients with migraine, an attack can derail it all.
All too often, patients with migraine face the burden of unnecessary treatment delays. When health insurers implement prior authorizations, it requires a patient's doctor to get approval from the insurance company before a patient can access treatment. Prior authorizations harm patients and disrupt the patient-doctor relationship.
This year, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) – the national association representing the health insurance industry – and the nation's largest insurers committed to streamline, simplify, and reduce prior authorization for patients. This will benefit our friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers who are living with migraine.
Now, it's time to put commitments into action – and it should start with migraine.
Send a letter now! Encourage senior leaders at America's health plans to reduce unnecessary prior authorization barriers, starting with migraine treatments, so that American patients can access treatments prescribed by their doctors promptly and without unnecessary roadblocks.
Subject: Reduce Prior Authorizations for Patients with Migraine
Dear [NAME],
As a concerned citizen, I am writing to urge America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and major health insurers to put commitments into action to reduce the burden of prior authorization requirements that prevent patients with migraine from accessing timely and effective care. I applaud America's health plans for standing with patients and committing to simplify and reduce prior authorizations. Here's why I believe health insurers must start with migraine.
Migraine is a disabling neurological disease that affects more than 40 million Americans, including our friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers. Migraine causes severe pain and symptoms for patients. But it's more than just symptoms. Migraine disease can disrupt every aspect of an individual's life: their work, personal relationships, and quality time with family and friends. The realities of migraine are only compounded during the holidays. For so many of us, this is a time for gatherings, memories, and celebration. For patients with migraine, an attack can derail it all.
Today, many patients with migraine still face delays or denials when trying to access the treatments that their doctor prescribed for their condition. Nearly 70% of patients report insurer-related barriers to accessing the doctor-prescribed combination for migraine therapy. Every year, about 1.2 million Americans visit the emergency department for treatment of acute migraine attacks. Missed work, emergency visits, and reduced productivity as a result of migraine cost our economy more than 157 million workdays and approximately $36 billion annually.
As treatments are delayed due to prior authorizations, these numbers will only grow.
Patients with migraine and their providers are counting on you to honor a commitment to reduce and simplify prior authorizations for patients beginning January 1, 2026. By reducing prior authorizations and other health insurance barriers, health plans can deliver real improvements for patients with chronic diseases like migraine, without undue delay.
I urge you to ensure that patients with migraine, and all American patients living with chronic conditions, can access treatments prescribed by their doctors promptly and without unnecessary roadblocks.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Sign PetitionSign PetitionDear [NAME],
As a concerned citizen, I am writing to urge America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and major health insurers to put commitments into action to reduce the burden of prior authorization requirements that prevent patients with migraine from accessing timely and effective care. I applaud America's health plans for standing with patients and committing to simplify and reduce prior authorizations. Here's why I believe health insurers must start with migraine.
Migraine is a disabling neurological disease that affects more than 40 million Americans, including our friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers. Migraine causes severe pain and symptoms for patients. But it's more than just symptoms. Migraine disease can disrupt every aspect of an individual's life: their work, personal relationships, and quality time with family and friends. The realities of migraine are only compounded during the holidays. For so many of us, this is a time for gatherings, memories, and celebration. For patients with migraine, an attack can derail it all.
Today, many patients with migraine still face delays or denials when trying to access the treatments that their doctor prescribed for their condition. Nearly 70% of patients report insurer-related barriers to accessing the doctor-prescribed combination for migraine therapy. Every year, about 1.2 million Americans visit the emergency department for treatment of acute migraine attacks. Missed work, emergency visits, and reduced productivity as a result of migraine cost our economy more than 157 million workdays and approximately $36 billion annually.
As treatments are delayed due to prior authorizations, these numbers will only grow.
Patients with migraine and their providers are counting on you to honor a commitment to reduce and simplify prior authorizations for patients beginning January 1, 2026. By reducing prior authorizations and other health insurance barriers, health plans can deliver real improvements for patients with chronic diseases like migraine, without undue delay.
I urge you to ensure that patients with migraine, and all American patients living with chronic conditions, can access treatments prescribed by their doctors promptly and without unnecessary roadblocks.
Sincerely,
[Name]
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