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First national eczema report reveals gaps in diagnosis and specialist care

First national eczema report reveals gaps in diagnosis and specialist care

New Capabilities

CDC-funded baseline spans all 50 states, every age group, and every major insurance type

Today: NEA publishes State of Atopic Dermatitis Indicator Report

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

On October 1, the National Eczema Association released the first national and state-level dataset on atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema. The CDC-funded report spans all 50 states, Washington D.C., every age group, and every major insurance type.

The findings show a large gap between who has the condition and who gets diagnosed. In 2023, about 6.9 million insured Americans were diagnosed: roughly one in five of the estimated number affected. Specialist access varies sharply by region, and treatment often ignores current guidelines.

Why it matters

Millions with eczema go undiagnosed, and many diagnosed patients get care that ignores clinical guidelines — this baseline makes those failures measurable.

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Key Indicators

6.9M
Americans with diagnosed atopic dermatitis (2023)
Roughly one in five of the estimated number actually affected.
2.3%
Share of insured Americans diagnosed with AD
Combined diagnosed prevalence across commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid markets.
13%
Americans in counties with no dermatology or allergy specialist
Specialist availability ranges from 4.4 per 100,000 in Oklahoma to 15.2 in Washington D.C.
783K
People with diagnosed AD who also had documented asthma
AD frequently co-occurs with asthma, skin infections, and other conditions.
4-5%
Diagnosed patients still prescribed systemic corticosteroids
Use continues despite guidelines advising against routine systemic steroids.

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People Involved

KB
Kristin Belleson
President and CEO, National Eczema Association
Leading NEA's State of AD initiative and policy push
TW
Tenesha Wallace-Wood
Director of healthcare provider engagement, National Eczema Association
Oversees use of the report data in provider education

Organizations Involved

National Eczema Association
National Eczema Association
Patient advocacy nonprofit
Publisher of the State of AD report and leader of the CDC-funded initiative

The leading U.S. patient advocacy group for people with eczema.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Federal agency
Funder of the four-year State of AD initiative

The U.S. federal agency responsible for public health surveillance and disease prevention.
Milliman
Milliman
Actuarial and consulting firm
Conducted the claims analysis for the State of AD report

A global consulting firm specializing in actuarial and healthcare analytics.

Timeline

March 2026 October 2026

2 events Latest: Today

  1. NEA publishes State of Atopic Dermatitis Indicator Report

    Today Report release

    NEA released its first national and state-level dataset on atopic dermatitis diagnosis and care, with 51 state briefs, anchoring Eczema Awareness Month.

  2. NEA presents insurance barrier data on Capitol Hill

    Policy briefing

    NEA presented survey data showing nearly 40% of eczema patients faced an insurance coverage issue in the past year.

Scenarios

1

State of AD annual update published with newer data

Likely Resolves by Oct 1, 2027

Discussed by: National Eczema Association, which frames the report as the baseline for a four-year CDC initiative

NEA positions the report as the foundation of a multi-year project, so a follow-up using more recent claims data is the most direct continuation. The organization has said it will use the data in provider education and to develop resources for clinicians outside dermatology.

2

Congress passes step-therapy or copay reform

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: NEA's March 2026 Capitol Hill briefing; bills H.R. 5509/S. 2903 and H.R. 6423/S. 864

The report documents that treatment lags guidelines and that insurance barriers block care. NEA has publicly urged Congress to pass the Safe Step Act, which requires transparent exceptions to step therapy, and the HELP Copays Act, which closes a copay-counting loophole.

3

States expand specialist access using the report data

Possible Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: Dermatology Times interview with Tenesha Wallace-Wood, who said state briefs are for policymakers examining workforce and access

Thirteen percent of Americans live in a county with no dermatologist or allergist, and telehealth accounts for only about 1.2% to 1.3% of AD-related dermatology visits. State briefs give policymakers a local baseline to justify expanding access, including through telehealth reimbursement.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1957–present

National Health Interview Survey (1957–present)

The U.S. government launched the first continuous national health survey in 1957, asking Americans about illness, disability, and healthcare use. It became the country's primary source for national disease prevalence baselines.

Then

Gave public health agencies a consistent national picture of disease burden.

Now

Established the model of recurring national surveillance reports that still shapes U.S. health tracking.

Why this matters now

Like NHIS did for disease prevalence broadly, this report gives atopic dermatitis its first national and state-level baseline.

1990–present

Global Burden of Disease Study (1990–present)

Researchers at the University of Washington and the World Health Organization began systematically estimating the prevalence of every major disease, including skin conditions, across countries using standardized methods.

Then

Produced comparable global prevalence estimates for eczema and other conditions.

Now

Became the standard reference for comparing disease burden worldwide.

Why this matters now

It gave eczema global prevalence estimates; this report brings similar rigor to the U.S. state and county level.

Recurring since the 1980s

CDC National Diabetes Statistics Report

The CDC began issuing recurring national statistics on diabetes prevalence, complications, and costs, updated regularly as a public reference.

Then

Let policymakers track diabetes trends and allocate resources by region.

Now

Demonstrated how a recurring disease report builds a durable surveillance baseline.

Why this matters now

It is the model NEA and the CDC aim to replicate for atopic dermatitis care.

Sources

(5)
+2
PR Newswire Dermatology Times National Eczema Association PR Newswire National Eczema Association