About me
Jessica Ailani, MD, is board certified in neurology, with added certification in headache. She sees patients at the McLean, Virginia, clinic.
Dr. Ailani is a clinical professor of neurology at MedStar's Georgetown University Hospital and director of the MedStar Georgetown Headache Center. Dr. Ailani treats a variety of headache disorders, most commonly migraine, cluster headache, and occipital neuralgia. She uses a wide variety of treatment options in headache management including neuromodulation, pharmacotherapy, infusion treatment for status migraine, and Botox for chronic migraine.
Dr. Ailani is involved in numerous clinical trials focused on new treatments in the migraine space..
She is dedicated to educating the field on headache disorders. She is a national and international speaker, invited to discuss migraine at headache and primary care meetings. She has spoken at the American Headache Society, Diamond Headache meeting, International Headache Society, American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, and has presented abstracts at both national and internation meetings.
Because people don't always want to take medications, Dr. Ailani is very willing to work with patients in finding lifestyle solutions. If patients want medications, she is willing to treat the headache aggressively. Dr. Ailani uses an integrative approach, with care designed around what the patient wants, encompassing all possibilities.
Dr. Ailani and her husband are from New York, and enjoy the warmer weather in the D.C. area. While others might not think of Washington as "the south," it certainly is for these former Long Islanders. They appreciate the museums as well as the cultural mix of people and restaurants in the Washington metro area. Dr. Ailani also enjoys the diversity of patients she sees daily, coming from rural areas, the city, as well as internationally.
Read details about Dr. Ailani's background and accomplishments.
Clinical areas of focus
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Migraine
Conditions and procedures
Procedures I perform
- Botox Injection For Migraines
- Chemodenervation Of Muscle
- Chronic Headache Treatment
- Tension Headache Treatment
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- IH-PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Student Resources
- Beech Street PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Employee Health Plan
- Choice POS
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Network OA
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Sentara Health
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- OA Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-POS
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-POS Plus
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Optimum Choice
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CIGNA EPO
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Healthcare Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-Open POS II
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- TRICARE for Life East
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Choice POS II
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CareFirst EPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Navigate
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- CIGNA PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Medicare Direct
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- First Health PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- HighMark
- Aetna HMO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- IH-EPO Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- BlueChoice Open Access
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- TRICARE East Select
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Tricare Reserve Select
- IH-HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- TRICARE East Prime
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- IH-Open HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Choice Fund PPO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- POS OA
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Better Health of MD
Videos
Education
Fellowship: Thomas Jefferson University Headache Fellowship (2009)
Residency: New York University Langone Medical Center-GME (2008)
Internship: Winthrop-University Hospital (2005)
Graduate: SUNY Stony Brook University (2004)
Awards
- American Headache Society Above and Beyond Award 2021
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
https://www.glamour.com/story/after-40-years-of-hell-heaven-is-migraine-relief
https://www.self.com/story/chronic-illness-elevator-pitch
https://www.self.com/story/migraine-hangover-facts
https://www.self.com/story/migraine-stigma
https://www.self.com/story/cluster-headaches-facts
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a24892333/migraine-symptoms/
https://www.prevention.com/health/a22865459/alcohol-facts-myths/
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/health/the-truth-about-aspirin/351661504
https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/new-era-migraine-relief
https://www.phillyvoice.com/migraines-treatment-cgrp-inhibitors-effective-headache-survey/
https://www.ajmc.com/view/contemporary-management-of-migraine-an-interview-with-jessica-ailani-md
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-it-works-injectable-treatments-for-migraine
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/so-much-more-headache/202105/migraine-sufferers-appreciate-support-more-advice
https://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/fulltext/2020/10080/so_many_migraine_therapies,_so_many_decisions_.2.aspx
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/947086
https://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/blog/neurologytodayconferencereportersaanannualmeeting/pages/post.aspx?PostID=125
https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20191211/dhe-reemerges-as-magic-migraine-treatment
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/emgality-demonstrates-reduction-in-frequency-duration-and-pain-severity-in-patients-with-episodic-and-chronic-migraine-301078159.html
https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20200224/fda-approves-vyepti-first-iv-preventive-treatment-for-migraine