Psoriasis treatments by payment type in the US outpatient office setting

Many factors, including patients' methods of payment, may influence psoriasis treatment decisions.

To characterize psoriasis treatments by patients' types of payment in the US outpatient office setting.

Using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), a large survey that samples outpatient office visits to US non-federally funded physicians, visits linked with sole diagnoses for psoriasis (ICD-9-CM: 696.1) were identified. There were 545 unweighted records. The types and number of treatments prescribed at these visits were categorized by expected major payment type to be used for the visit.

Mainstay psoriasis therapies such as vitamin D analogs and clobetasol were prescribed regardless of payment type. Retinoids were also within the most frequently prescribed psoriasis medications for all payment types, however they were less frequently prescribed than vitamin D analogs. Payment type did not have a significant effect on the number of medications prescribed at psoriasis visits.

Data on treatment adherence and filling of prescriptions are not included in the NAMCS database.

Prescribing patterns for psoriasis medications are similar across payment type. Additional factors appear to modulate therapy choice for patients with psoriasis.