The impact of psoriasis on health care costs and patient work loss

Background: There are few comprehensive estimates of the cost of psoriasis in the United States. Objective: We sought to quantify the incremental direct medical and indirect work loss costs associated with psoriasis. Methods: A de-identified claims database from 31 self-insured employers during the period 1998 to 2005 was used. Patients with at least two psoriasis diagnosis claims (N = 12,280) were compared with 3 control subjects (matched on year of birth and sex) without psoriasis. Multivariate two-part regression analysis was used to isolate the incremental cost of psoriasis by controlling for comorbidities and other confounding factors. Results: After multivariate adjustment, the incremental direct and indirect costs of psoriasis were approximately $900 and $600 (P < .001) per patient per year, respectively. Limitations: The database used in this study does not contain information on patient out-of-pocket costs or loss of productivity costs at work. Conclusion: The incremental cost of psoriasis is approximately $1500 per patient per year, with work loss costs accounting for 40% of the cost burden. (J Am Acad Dermatot 2008;59:772-80.)