For Employers & Insurers
Migraine affects 14% of your workforce.
Only 3% are being treated.
That treatment gap (11% of your employees in pain, unmanaged) is your largest invisible cost center. It shows up as absenteeism, presenteeism, ER visits, and failed CGRP prescriptions. Most of it is preventable.
14%
of your workforce affected by migraine
3%
currently receiving treatment
$84K
annual migraine cost per 1,000 employees
Self-insured employers · Payers · Benefits consultants
The hidden cost center
What 1,000 unmanaged migraine employees actually costs you.
According to the Integrated Benefits Institute, a 1,000-person firm with standard benefits can expect $84,000 in annual migraine-related costs - nearly a third from lost work time alone. That number almost certainly undercounts your true burden: it only captures the 3% receiving treatment. The other 11% are invisible in your claims data, but not in your productivity numbers.
One in three migraine employees also carries comorbid obesity. One in five has mood disorders, anxiety, or hypertensive disease. These conditions amplify each other - and each other's costs.
Sources: IBI Employer Migraine Report; AJMC Migraine Impact Model.
The shift
Why migraine has fallen through the cracks.
Every major employer wellness program targets diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal conditions. Migraine has been overlooked because nothing in the data made it visible. Treatment costs were low enough to disappear into general pharmacy spend, and productivity losses were buried in absenteeism without a clear migraine attribution. There was no signal in claims data telling benefits leaders this was a problem worth attacking.
That calculus has changed. CGRP biologics now cost $8,500+ per patient per year. Disability claims for migraine are rising. And 37% of long-term disability migraine claims remain active after two years - meaning these employees are at serious risk of permanent workforce exit.
"Even though migraine is common, employers have not focused on it because the treatments have been relatively inexpensive. The productivity losses we found should help companies understand the real impact."
The cost is no longer invisible. The intervention is no longer unavailable.
The evidence
A 490% ROI, already demonstrated.
In 2018, Novartis ran a structured migraine support program for 339 of its own employees, combining personalized pattern coaching with identification of hormonal, lifestyle, and metabolic drivers. Six-month results:
54%
Reduction in disability (MIDAS)
50%+
Reduction in absenteeism & presenteeism
10.8
Recovered workdays per participant / yr
490%
Return on program investment
Migraine Detective is that program - rebuilt with AI, scalable across your full population, and deployable without a clinical team.
Source: Lipton et al., Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2020.
Our approach
Proactive pattern investigation, not reactive treatment.
Most migraine costs come from treating crises. We intervene earlier - identifying the metabolic, hormonal, and lifestyle patterns that drive attacks before they become emergencies.
AI-powered pattern detection
Our system correlates labs, bio-signatures, and daily logs to identify root causes - not just triggers. Many employees discover simple interventions (hydration, electrolytes, hormone timing) that dramatically reduce attack frequency.
Baseline testing guidance
"Normal" results frequently hide actionable patterns. We guide employees through foundational and advanced testing that's often already covered by your plan but never interpreted in context.
Population-level insights
Anonymized aggregate reporting on which intervention categories (hormonal, histamine, sleep, hydration) are most prevalent in your population - so you can prioritize wellness investments where they actually move the needle.
Private & secure by design
Individual health data is never shared with employers. Employees maintain complete control over their information while contributing to anonymized population health insights.
The business case
Measurable ROI within six months.
Conservative projections based on Novartis pilot data and IBI cost modeling.
↓ 35-50%
Reduction in migraine-related sick days
↓ 60%
Reduction in ER visits for migraine
Flexible implementation
Two ways to partner with us.
Model 01
For self-insured employers
- ▪Subsidized employee access to pattern investigation
- ▪Quarterly anonymized population health reports
- ▪Integration with existing wellness programs
- ▪Custom baseline testing recommendations
Model 02
For insurance partners
- ▪Member engagement platform for chronic migraineurs
- ▪Reduce high-cost utilization through upstream intervention
- ▪White-label deployment option
- ▪Outcomes-based pricing available
Next step
Let's talk about your population.
11% of your employees are managing migraine without support. We can show you what that's costing you - and what a targeted intervention program would look like for your headcount.
Migraine Detective provides educational pattern investigation tools. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace medical care.
Request a consultation
Tell us about your population
Share a few details and we'll respond within 1-2 business days. Self-insured employers, benefits consultants, and payers welcome.