Survey Data Highlight Expenses and Access-to-Care for Psoriasis Patients

New findings from the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) indicate that patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients spend more than $2,500 per year in out-of-pocket costs for their disease. In an analysis of eight years of data to determine access-to-care issues and out-of-pocket costs facing people with psoriatic diseases, investigators also revealed that patients with access to insurance and those with severe psoriasis were significantly more likely to see a specialist to treat their disease. However, nearly a quarter of patients with psoriasis seek care from a primary care physician. When asked for reasons why they did not see a specialist—dermatologist or rheumatologist—to treat their disease, most patients said they had either given up on treatment (28 percent), it was too expensive (21 percent) or it was too much of a hassle (11 percent).