People Wait an Average of 50 Days to See a Neurologist, and People with MS Wait Even Longer: What Can We Do to Improve Access to MS Care?

April 2026

In a study of more than 20 million people signed up for insurance plans, individuals had to wait an average of nearly 50 days for a first neurological visit. For people with MS, this wait was an average of 4 days longer. The number of neurologists in the enrollee’s area did not affect wait times. This finding suggests that a number of barriers prevent people from getting the neurologic care they need. These findings illustrate how critical it is to create a world where an MS diagnosis can be made in hours, not months or years – where faster answers lead to less uncertainty, less damage and better health.

The Study

Yale University researchers reviewed claims in the Merative MarketScan Commercial Database, which includes information on more than 20 million people enrolled in insurance plans. Between 2019 and 2023, 114,034 of these enrollees had a first visit with a neurologist. The average wait time for this visit was nearly 50 days.Several factors were associated with increased or decreased wait times:

• Wait times for people with MS were four days longer on average (which was the longest wait time among all conditions listed); wait times were shorter for people experiencing stroke, vertigo, and traumatic brain injury. The authors point out that people with MS might be waiting for a neurologist who specializes in MS care.
• The average wait time for men was 7 days longer than for women.
• People with consumer-driven insurance plans had shorter wait times than those with preferred-provider plans.
• People in the Northeast had longer wait times compared to other regions.
• Non-Hispanic White people had the shortest wait times.
• The number of neurologists in enrollees’ areas did not affect wait times.

Further study is needed to understand what disparities may underlie these factors, and to test solutions for eliminating them. How the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is Expanding Healthcare Access for People with MSRecognizing the complexity of expanding healthcare access for people with MS, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is taking a multifaceted approach to getting people with MS answers faster. Here’s how:

• Leading the way in updating the diagnostic criteria for MS, in global collaboration with ECTRIMS and world leaders; these criteria already are enabling more and earlier MS diagnoses.
• Partnering with professional organizations to ensure the widest possible outreach to healthcare professionals with MS-specific care and management information. 
• Providing professional education to ensure people affected by MS have access to clinicians practicing with the latest evidence-based approach. One example is the ECHO MS: Learning Network, a peer-to-peer knowledge sharing network that builds the capacity of neurologists to diagnose and manage MS.
• Launching the MS Care Desert Initiative to identify and address gaps in MS care nationwide. Three pilot programs are underway in Mississippi, South Carolina and Wisconsin. Collaborations with clinicians, health systems, professional associations, and community partners across these regions address the complex barriers to accessing care. For example, in Wisconsin, this effort involves creating a digital toolkit with guidance for referring patients, and in South Carolina, community health workers are being equipped with MS-specific training. 
• Advocating for accessible, affordable health coverage and care in the halls of Congress and in state and local government – Join us
• Supporting the training of physicians learning how to care for people with MS: Meet the Society’s newest clinical fellows training to join the neurology workforce.

Learn more…

Find doctors and resources near you.
– Listen to Dr. Tim Coetzee, President & CEO of the National MS Society, discuss how far we have come in MS care, and the future we are working toward, in this RealTalk MS podcast.
– Listen to Alana Skye Campbell, senior director of healthcare access at the Society, discuss how her team is working to expand access to MS care, in a Rural Health Today podcast.

Article source