Insurance Restrictions on Migraine Drugs Drive Higher ER Use

Insurance hurdles like prior authorization and step therapy prevent migraine patients from finding relief, but could payer blocking strategies lead to more ER and hospital visits? Molly O'Brien breaks it down the latest in this Migraine Minute news update. Read the study: https://bit.ly/40OlvJ0 The Migraine Policy Forum: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-headache-migraine-policy-forum/    Script: A study published in Headache shows insurance restrictions that deny access to migraine treatments aren't just frustrating…. These so-called "payer blocking" strategies were linked to more ER visits and hospital stays. Researchers reviewed information from more than 370,000 people with migraine who were denied access to prescribed migraine drugs at least two times because of payer blocking insurance restrictions like step therapy or prior authorization. They found payer blocking affected about one in five patients and was more common among those with lower income or lower education levels. They also found people with a history of payer blocking were more likely to visit the ER or be hospitalized for migraine-related or other health issues. Lead author Dr. Dawn Buse said, "These insurance barriers don't just delay care, they undermine quality of life, especially for those with fewer resources. Reducing them is essential to improving migraine outcomes."