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
- IH-PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- 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
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Network OA
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Sentara Health
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- OA Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-POS
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- IH-Indemnity
- CIGNA EPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CareFirst NASCO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- IH-Open POS II
- TRICARE for Life East
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Choice POS II
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Navigate
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Medicare Direct
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- First Health PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Aetna Basic
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna HMO
- HighMark
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- 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
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst Administrators
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-Open POS Plus
- TRICARE East Select
- IH-HMO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- First Health PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- TRICARE East Prime
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Open HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Choice Fund PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- POS OA
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- UHC Passport
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