prescription treatment access and affordability at the recent Congressional Briefing in Washington, D.C.
(Novato, California—March 4, 2026)–Nearly 40% of eczema patients and caregivers surveyed by the National Eczema Association (NEA) reported at least one insurance coverage issue in the past year, and 15% never started a prescribed medication due to insurance barriers, according to data recently presented on Capitol Hill.
On February 24, 2026, representatives of NEA presented newly available interim data on insurance-related treatment delays for eczema patients during a U.S. Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to address step therapy, prior authorization burdens, and federal research funding.
The hour-long briefing, Tackling Step Therapy, Treatment Delays, and Research Funding, featured presentations by Kristin Belleson, MBA, CAE, NEA President & CEO, Wendy Smith Begolka, MBS, NEA Chief Program and Mission Officer, and Jiwon Park, an eczema patient and NEA Advocacy Ambassador from San Antonio, Texas.
The briefing was attended by Congressional staff from both the U.S. House and Senate, along with representatives from partner organizations. During the discussion, several attendees shared personal or constituent experiences with eczema and engaged in dialogue about the research findings and policy implications presented.
Interim findings from NEA’s recent access to eczema prescription treatment survey, combined with recently published findings from NEA’s surveys related to out-of-pocket costs and eczema patient treatment preferences, were shared during the briefing, reinforcing an established need for legislative and policy solutions. This includes policies that reduce step therapy and prior authorization burdens, ensure access to effective prescription treatments, and increase federal research funding to advance better therapies and improve long-term outcomes.
NEA-Driven Research Tells the Story
NEA initially learned from its 2021 survey of eczema patients regarding access to prescription treatments that nearly 30% of prescription coverage denials are due to step therapy requirements, and over 50% of delays are caused by prior authorization. Since then, the FDA-approved eczema treatment landscape has continued to markedly grow and evolve. With more than 31 million American adults and children (roughly 1 in 10) living with this chronic skin disease, the burden of eczema treatment barriers is widespread and growing.
Key Interim Takeaways from NEA’s 2025 Access to Prescription Treatment Survey
- Nearly 40% of eczema patients and caregivers surveyed faced at least one coverage issue in the past year.
- 12% had to discontinue a prescription due to coverage issues, and 15% never started a prescribed medication because of an insurance issue.
- More than 35% of those who experienced coverage issues faced step therapy, with nearly 1 in 4 asked to retry a medication that had been previously tried, and 56% faced prior authorization.
- 52% of those who changed insurance in the past year faced a coverage issue from their new insurer
18% of those with coverage issues also reported confusion or miscommunication about the coverage status or copay amount.
NEA’s Policy Recommendations
In light of NEA’s research and the well-documented lived experiences of people living with eczema, NEA leaders advocated for legislators to support the following policy recommendations:
- Cosponsor and support the Safe Step Act (H.R. 5509/S. 2903), which would require insurers to implement a clear and transparent process for a patient or healthcare provider to request an exception to step therapy.
- Cosponsor and support the HELP Copays Act (H.R. 6423/S. 864), which closes a loophole that allows many employer health plans to deem certain covered drugs as “nonessential,” which means that the insurer will not count any cost-sharing toward the patient’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum.
- Continue to include “eczema” in the Department of Defense’s Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) in Fiscal Year 2027.
In addition to presentations on research findings and policy recommendations, eczema patient and NEA Advocacy Ambassador Jiwon Park shared her personal experience living with the disease, emphasizing that eczema is more than a rash and can have significant physical, mental health, and quality-of-life impacts. She also discussed her role as a peer reviewer for the Department of Defense’s Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program and underscored the importance of continued federal investment in eczema research.
This important briefing represents a promising step toward policy reform and meaningful change for the eczema community. “The science has moved forward, but coverage policy has not kept pace,” said Kristin Belleson, President and CEO of the National Eczema Association. “No patient should be required to fail first before receiving the treatment their physician recommends. Insurance barriers are delaying care for millions of Americans living with eczema. Congress has the opportunity to reduce unnecessary step therapy requirements and ensure patients can access the care their physicians prescribe.”