Making Home Light Therapy Accessible

Following publication of the novel LITE clinical trial results, NPF and Elevance Health partner to make home-based phototherapy accessible.

ALEXANDRIA, VA, UNITED STATES, June 17, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Informed by data and recommendations of the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF), Elevance Health has supported an update to the coverage criteria for their affiliated health plans relating to home-based phototherapy, making it more accessible for their health plan members. This decision is based on published evidence related to the LITE clinical trial, which showed that home-based phototherapy is clinically appropriate for all skin types.

In September 2024, research published in JAMA Dermatology demonstrated that home-based phototherapy is as effective as office-based phototherapy for treating psoriasis. This data supports the use of home-based phototherapy as a first-line treatment option. Up to this point, phototherapy, while cost effective, had faced many barriers including access.[1]

In 2019, NPF collaborated with the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and the University of Utah to kick off the Light Treatment Effectiveness or LITE study. This came as a direct result of the NPF hearing from patients that lack of accessible phototherapy was a prominent concern.

The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to compare the effectiveness, safety, and duration of treatment response at 12 weeks of home versus office-based narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy for the treatment of plaque or guttate psoriasis across all skin types.[2] Five years later, the evidence pointed to home- based therapy being a viable treatment option for patients living with psoriasis.

“The LITE study provided compelling evidence that home phototherapy is very effective and safe for treating psoriasis across all skin tones. Patients who receive phototherapy at home are much more adherent to the recommended treatment schedule and have much lower costs than patients who receive phototherapy in the office. However, the main barrier for patients using home phototherapy is the burden of getting it covered by their insurance and the need to find a dermatologist who is knowledgeable about prescribing it,” says Joel Gelfand, M.D., MSCE, the James J. Leyden, M.D. Endowed Professor in Clinical Investigation in the Department of Dermatology at Penn and the medical director of Penn’s Psoriasis and Phototherapy Treatment Center. Dr. Gelfand was a co-principal investigator of the LITE study with Kristina Callis Duffin, M.D., Professor and Chair of Dermatology at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah.

Following the publication of data from the LITE study, NPF worked closely with Elevance Health to incorporate this new information into Elevance Health’s coverage criteria for their affiliated health plans. The goal of both organizations is to help ensure patients are able to receive the care that they need in a clinically appropriate manner. As this new evidence became available Elevance Health made sure the LITE study was considered as part of their medical policy process. Following this update, patients living with psoriasis with health plans from Elevance Health-affiliated health plans are eligible for home-based phototherapy if topical treatment alone has failed, treatment is conducted under a physician’s supervision with regularly scheduled exams, and treatment is expected to take 3 months or longer.[3]

“NPF has always been driven by the patient voice. Nearly a decade ago, people with psoriasis told us they wanted safe, effective light therapy without the barriers of in-office care. The LITE Study gave us the data needed to address this directly, and our engagement with Elevance has now made home phototherapy a reality for so many people," says Leah M. Howard, J.D., NPF president and CEO. "I want to thank Elevance Health for their leadership in promoting evidence-based care and their continued collaboration to improve the lives of those living with psoriatic disease."

Current NPF resources for individuals who want to know more about LITE/home-based therapy include:
• The LITE study homepage: https://www.psoriasis.org/lite-study/
• Press release regarding the JAMA Dermatology article: https://www.psoriasis.org/jama-derm-new-phototherapy-research/
• PsoundBytes Pro episode with Drs. Joel Gelfand and Kristina Callis Duffin: https://www.psoriasis.org/cme-library/discussing-the-lite-study/
• Advance Online article on home-based phototherapy: https://www.psoriasis.org/advance/lite-study-home-phototherapy/

About the National Psoriasis Foundation

The National Psoriasis Foundation is the leading nonprofit representing individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The mission of NPF is to drive efforts to cure psoriatic disease and improve the lives of more than 8 million individuals in the United States affected by this chronic immune-mediated disease. Learn more at psoriasis.org.

References
1: https://www.psoriasis.org/jama-derm-new-phototherapy-research/
2: https://www.psoriasis.org/lite-study/
3: https://www.anthem.com/medpolicies/abc/active/gl_pw_d055402.html

Matthew Werbach
National Psoriasis Foundation
mwerbach@psoriasis.org

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