Rising Insurance Costs Are Limiting Access to Dermatologists Across the U.S.

Insurance costs in the United States continue to rise at some of the fastest rates in years. The insurance bills in the United States are still increasing at some of the highest rates in years, and dermatology clinics all over the country are advising that patients are now finding it difficult to even afford the most basic skin-care services. A visit to a dermatologist and cheap medications used to be a normal thing, but now it has become a burden to a large number of American citizens, including those who already pay high monthly insurance payments.

In several states, patients are reporting to dermatology clinics in large numbers, claiming that they are unable to afford their dermatology prescriptions due to insurance coverage adjustments or sudden increases in out-of-pocket costs. The usual acne, eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis treatments, which are often necessary to make daily life bearable, are getting too costly to be used regularly by most. Others are informing their physicians that they simply cannot afford to pick up drugs that now cost them more than a hundred dollars with insurance, and even more without.

Simultaneously, it is now more challenging to get an appointment with a dermatologist.The increased waiting time, decreased insurance coverage, and reduced payment rates have left a lot of patients that require services but are unable to access them. It may take six weeks or even months to have a board-certified dermatologist in most cities. Clinics attribute this lag to adding to the deterioration of cystic acne to chronic dermatitis and even delays in diagnosing suspicious skin lesions that may be in need of immediate treatment.

Restrictions of insurance are also contributing significantly. Repeated prior authorization requests, coverage denials, and step-therapy requirements have been reported by many dermatologists, which compel patients to use less effective treatments before getting the prescribed drug. These barriers cause weeks of delays, and in many instances patients may quit treatment. Other clinics state that they are now spending more time battling with insurance companies than attending to patients.

The pressures have forced certain dermatology practices to cease insurance acceptance altogether, citing reimbursement rates that no longer allow the increasing costs of running a medical office. With the increasing number of clinics switching to self-pay, accessibility becomes even more difficult for patients who use insurance to deal with their chronic skin conditions.

Its effects are being felt in the test rooms all over the country. Patients are surviving with painful breakouts, untreated rashes, and deteriorating inflammatory skin disorders due to their inability to afford the cost of care or because they cannot get an appointment when they need one. According to dermatologists, the later the medical treatment is administered, the higher the chances of permanent scarring, infections, and missed diagnoses—problems that would have been prevented when the medical care was taken early.

With the insurance premiums steadily increasing and the cost of medication also on the rise, dermatology clinics report that they are experiencing an increasing crisis in care access. To most Americans, visiting a dermatologist has ceased to be a normal healthcare procedure but rather a service that is becoming unaffordable. Unless there is a systematic change, physicians warn that the disparity between people who can and cannot access dermatology services is bound to increase.