Regional Health Disparities

Prior authorization failures and coverage gaps for specialist visits, diagnostics, and treatments for conditions often deemed subjective.

Insufficient providers trained in invisible illness diagnosis. Many regions have zero board-certified ME/CFS or dysautonomia specialists.

Rural patients travel 50-80+ miles on average for specialist care, with some traveling across state lines for qualified providers.

Limited availability of culturally competent care and non-English health materials, particularly impacting Hispanic, Indigenous, and immigrant communities.

Patients report being told symptoms are psychosomatic. Average of 3.4 providers seen before receiving a correct diagnosis.