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It's actually 4 tabs per 7 days. So you can get 16 pills per month. You will just have to pay 4 co-pays. But a few of the triptans are on 1st tier which makes them only $10 per script. Your doctor just has to write the script out correctly. If you have mail order it's 16 pills for one co-pay.
Tam,
It depends on the insurance company. Mine is 8 tablets per month, 24 tablets or 90 days. Period. It doens't matter how the doctor writes it, and my insurance company will pay for ONE prescription of 8 per month when I fill at a local pharmacy or ONE prescription for 24 for a 90-day period. No matter how my doctor writes the prescription, they will cover only one prescription for 30 days or 90 days, depending on whether I fill it locally or by mail order.
Teri
Thanks for the clarification, Tamara!
I have a bad feeling that it's going to change soon anyway. Now that Imitrex generic is becoming pretty widely available, I have a sinking feeling that insurance companies are going to stop covering other triptans unless we get them approved in advance.
Just my opinion.
Teri
I suspect it depends on the plan. UHC just told me that under my company's plan, it's 4 tablets per MONTH. Which is, for me, two migraines.
I've gone through the mill with preventatives (none worked) and thanks to a great provider team, am just able to work full-time again. And now UHC is taking away one of the medications that helps me to work.
You're quite right. It does depend on the plan. Mine allows eight per month.
On the preventives, there is some good news there in that with over 100 preventives to try, it's impossible to have tried everything. You can find a list of them in Migraine Preventive Medications - Too Many Options to Give Up.
Hope this helps a bit,
Teri
Imitrex is now generic--but did that fix this problem for UHC consumers? No. I am on birth control and Imitrex (actually any triptans work for me), but I can't get the medication I need because my employer chooses to work with this pitiful excuse for an insurance company.
I applaud any doctors who speak out againt this. However, the problem still remains. I wish this country would just cure me or kill me. Having a migraine for four days and having to go to work with one is horrible.
I just found out that Federal Employee Program Blue Cross, Blue Shield allows 36 Relpax pills, and I evidently passed that up, using 12 for two months in a row. My doctor now has to agree to provide proof I need more than that amount, and the lady I spoke with who called to tell me that today said she didn't know if my doctor would allow more. I told her I take them so I don't get to the constant-vomiting-I-have-to-now-go-to-the-ER stage. To not have them means I'm at risk for that happening. (I realize I was graphic with her.) I am going to write my insurance company and include this article. I will also send a copy to my neurologist.
I get horrible migraine type headaches due to a cervical neck condition and triptans are the only drug that helps - I've had been paying $55 for 6 - (so I was only allowed 6 headaches a month) then the ins. co. decreased my dosage to 4! Now that Immitrex is generic I can get 9 twice a month for $15 each time so I get the 100 mg and cut them in half if I have to. Lluckily it works for me. These darned insurance companies -- I can get all the narcotic drugs I want!
Caremark - and the Plan my company has, has limited it to 10 pills a YEAR!!
I now have to go through an appeal process to try and get more.
Funny how this works.... I get migraines due to stress (mostly job stress) and if I do not have medication to take at the onset, I will be in bed for 3 days (3 days of work to catch-up on). So the limit that is put there only makes my stress worse!
I just got off the phone with my pharmacist, trying to figure out how I can get back to just the nine (ridiculous) pills and I guess I have two prescriptions for the same thing, imitrex generic, which works great and limited side effects from others i've tried. I can have five now, and in 15 days 4 more, than 30 days after that have my dr call and prescribe 9 more because there are no refills on this medicine... what the hell? Seriously? There are NO redeeming qualities of taking an imitrex for any thrill, jolt or enhancement to other drugs, NOTHING as a matter of fact it's just the lesser of two evils, take the pill , deal with the tightness,soreness or have a migraine that can last days, throw up, pull your hair from pain and carry bags of ice on your head. Its just not fair, a migraine is NOT just a "headache" and we deal because we HAVE to not by choice, it can set you back hours, days even. The way the insurance process has effected this type of prescription is insane! I do NOT want to have to take anything, if Excedrine Migraine worked (joke) Id take it. Iv'e had to purchase the generic w/out insurance because of a bad bout of migraines and it was approximately $22.00 per single pill. Why? Is it because it's considered a luxury pill? What can I do to stand against this!!!!
Leslie,
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! 
I hear you. Over the last 10 years, I've argued this with a lot of insurance companies, for myself and for others. We're stuck. The triptans cost so much because, as medications go, relatively few doses are sold. So, they have to cost that much for the pharmaceutical companies to recover their development costs. BUT, insurance companies don't like to pay the price, so they limit how many they'll pay for.
In all these years, I've never found a solution that always works. Is your insurance through your employer or your spouse's employer? If so, talking to someone in human resources might help. The limits that the insurance companies impose are determined by the level of coverage that's purchased. So, in come cases, the employer can override the limitations.
In some cases, if your doctor sends in a letter of medical necessity in advance and requests approval of a higher number of doses, it will be approved. These letters generally need to verify that you're working with your doctor to find effective preventive treatment. Some insurance companies will work with this; others won't.
Beyond that, I don't know of anything you can do to "stand against this." Sorry. 
Maybe my long-term experience will at least give you some encouragement. My doctor and I finally found a preventive regiment that's effective enough for me that I never use as many triptans as I'm allowed in a month. In fact, some months, I don't use any. It took time and patience to get here, but it was so worth it. So, there really IS hope.
Teri
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Who should know better than the dr. and the patient what medications are needed. When meds are limited the patient "saves" meds for the really bad ones and consequently gets more really bad ones. The migraines get worse instead of better.
It will end up costing Insurance compies more in the long run.