High copayments limit treatment options for psoriasis patients

PORTLAND, Ore. (Jan. 14, 2009)—Nearly 200 dermatologists report that high copayment costs often prevent psoriasis patients from using phototherapy, a safe and effective treatment that uses ultraviolet light to treat moderate to severe psoriasis, according to a survey released today by the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Ninety percent of the survey respondents reported that the high cost of phototherapy copayments, which can be as high as $50 per treatment, limits a patient's ability to undergo this form of treatment.

Phototherapy for psoriasis usually requires at least three treatments per week. On average, 30 treatments will control psoriasis, a noncontagious disease of the immune system, which causes red, scaly lesions that often crack and bleed. Many people continue to manage their disease through a maintenance regimen that includes phototherapy.

"These survey results are crucial for our organization to understand the challenges and barriers patients face when accessing care," said Sheila Rittenberg, senior director of advocacy and external affairs for the Psoriasis Foundation. "Dermatologists have relied on phototherapy for decades as an important and safe treatment modality; unfortunately, the mounting cost to patients is ruling out this option for many."

Based on the survey results, the National Psoriasis Foundation sent letters to insurance commissioners in six states—California, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Texas and Utah—asking them to persuade health insurance companies to reduce or eliminate the costly copayments they charge for phototherapy.

The survey is part of a larger initiative by the Psoriasis Foundation to facilitate access to needed medications and therapies for the millions of Americans with psoriasis. Nearly 60 percent of people with severe psoriasis do not receive treatment in alignment with the accepted standards of psoriasis care set forth by the American Academy of Dermatology, according to Psoriasis Foundation research.

"Unless copayments are reduced or eliminated, the number of patients who are unable to afford effective care will continue to rise," said Rittenberg. "The Foundation is hopeful that the state insurance commissioners will intervene with health plans to reverse the trend of rising copayment costs, allowing more people with psoriasis access to this safe, reliable treatment."

 View the National Psoriasis Foundation Fall 2008 phototherapy survey executive summary.

Psoriasis is a noncontagious, genetic disease that results when faulty signals in the immune system prompt skin cells to regenerate too quickly, causing red, scaly lesions that can crack and bleed. It often affects the elbows, knees, scalp and torso but can appear anywhere on the body. As many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis, according to the National Institutes of Health. Ten percent to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory disease which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints. Psoriasis can affect anyone at any age, including children. There is no cure yet for this lifelong disease.

The National Psoriasis Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit patient advocacy organization dedicated to fighting psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and the voice for millions of Americans who are affected by these diseases. Our mission is to find a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and to eliminate their devastating effects through research, advocacy and education. For more information, call the Psoriasis Foundation, headquartered in Portland, Ore., at 800.723.9166, or visit www.psoriasis.org.