In a recent analysis of the health insurance records of 5 million Americans under age 65, medical researchers found that approximately 2.5 percent had atopic dermatitis.

Annual insurance payments for medical care of atopic dermatitis ranged from $580 to $1,250 per patient. More than one-quarter of each patient’s total health care costs were for atopic dermatitis and related conditions. The researchers project that U.S. health insurance companies spend more than $1 billion per year on atopic dermatitis.