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BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with considerable financial cost. However, the full burden of out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: We sought to characterize the OOP health care expenses associated with AD management. METHODS: A 25-question voluntary online survey was administered to National Eczema Association members worldwide (n = 113, 502). Inclusion criteria (US residents age ≥18 years who either self-reported had AD or were primary caregivers of individuals with AD) were met by 77. 3% (1118/1447) of respondents. RESULTS: Respondents reported OOP expenses in 3 categories: (1) health care providers and prescriptions, including health care provider visit deductibles (68. 7% 686), prescription co-pays (64. 3% 635), and prescriptions not covered by insurance (48. 6% 468) ; (2) nonprescription health care products, including moisturizers (94. 3% 934), hygiene products (85. 0% 824, allergy medications (75. 1% 715), itch relievers (68. 25% 647), dietary supplements (52. 2% 491), and sleep aids (37. 0% 336) ; and (3) complementary approaches, including cleaning products (74. 7% 732), clothing/bedding (44. 8% 430), alternative medications (19. 0% 180), and adjunctive therapies (15. 9% 150). The median annual AD OOP expense was US 600 (range, US 0-200, 000), with 41. 9% (364) reporting expenditures US 1000 or greater. CONCLUSIONS: Out-of-pocket expenses place a significant financial burden on individuals with AD. Additional studies are needed to better understand associations and impact of OOP costs.
Begolka et al. (Tue,) studied this question.