Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Dyshidrotic eczema (DE) is a common form of eczema affecting the hands, feet, or both areas. To date, there has been little research examining demographics and cost burden associated with this disease. OBJECTIVE:This study seeks to characterize the demographics of patients affected and the direct costs of care associated with DE. METHODS:This is a retrospective analysis utilizing insurance claim information from IBM MarketScan. Pertinent data including demographic information, healthcare provider type, medications prescribed, and average cost of care were identified using the ICD 10 code L30.1 for DE for the year 2018. RESULTS:In 2018, 34 932 patients filed claims for DE, with 61% female and an average age of 37 years at first diagnosis. DE was mostly seen in employees from the service industry and the manufacturing of durable goods. The total annual direct cost was US $11 738 985. Average annual costs, however, did vary based on type of treating healthcare provider, level of care, and medications prescribed. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with DE can face an economic burden due to their disease and providers should aim to recognize this disease and its treatments to minimize healthcare costs for patients and improve quality of life.

BACKGROUND:Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) can exist in the setting of other dermatologic conditions. It is known that the treatment of these conditions can cause ACD, increasing both diagnostic and treatment difficulty. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of common dermatologic conditions in the setting of ACD and in specific patient populations. METHODS:A retrospective database study was completed using Truven Health to collect information on patch-tested ACD patients. Demographics and diagnostic information were retrieved. Of those with ACD, the presence of 15 dermatologic diagnoses was investigated. Subanalyses were conducted for each condition, including International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision code specificity, demographics, and diagnostic information. RESULTS:A total of 6380 patients (76.83% female) were given a diagnosis of ACD via patch testing. Of those with concomitant disease, those most common include atopic dermatitis (23.98%), urticaria (16.69%), and acne (11.51%). Eight of the concomitant conditions were found to have statistical significance in comparing the average age of ACD diagnosis with the selected diagnoses (α = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Common dermatologic diseases can exist concomitantly with ACD, many of which can be treated by compounds that precipitate or worsen preexisting ACD. The average age of the diagnosis varies from concomitant diagnoses, which can contribute to difficulty in ACD diagnosis and treatment.

In July 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a proposed fee schedule that will negatively impact practices that perform dermatopathology services. In this article, we review the proposed new and improved codes and values for pathology consultation codes as well as new payment rates. We also discuss the proposed 2022 quality payment program (QPP), and we provide an update on the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) and its impact on dermatopathology reports.

Major revisions for commonly reported office and outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) codes were implemented on January 1, 2021, by the American Medical Association and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The goal of these changes was to simplify and streamline these service codes, with time and medical decision-making (MDM) now being the sole determinants of the overall E/M level. We present an overview of the new guidelines, requirements, and code descriptors to aid in accurate documentation and billing. Additional resources are provided if further billing and coding questions arise.