OBJECTIVES: Calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate combination topical products are an established treatment for patients with plaque psoriasis. In appropriate patients, using the combination products as first-line therapy after the psoriasis diagnosis might be beneficial. This study investigated whether such use might lower the cost impact on health care budgets. METHODS: A retrospective study using Thomson Reuters MarketScan® national claims data from 2006-2011 was performed to identify patients who received psoriasis medications following a psoriasis diagnosis (ICD-9 code 696.1x). Patients were continuously enrolled during 1-year pre- and post-index date periods. The 2 study cohorts were cohort A (patients treated with calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate combination products immediately post-diagnosis) and cohort B (patients treated with any other topical psoriasis medication immediately post-diagnosis). The frequency of office visits and total health care costs (includes pharmacy costs and costs of inpatient and outpatient services) during the 1-year post-index period were assessed.  Multiple regression analyses adjusting for baseline demographic and clinical covariates, including a proxy for psoriasis severity, were performed. RESULTS: In total, 16,977 patients were identified in the 2 cohorts based on the topical medication prescribed (cohort A = 7307; cohort B = 9670). During the 1-year follow-up period, mean (± SD) total and psoriasis-related office visits were significantly lower in cohort A (13.36 ± 14.39; 2.79 ± 7.60) than cohort B (16.08 ± 16.68; 4.25 ± 10.23) (both P<.001). Mean total health care costs were less for cohort A ($7785.80 ± $15,255.60; median = $3411) than cohort B ($11,757.20 ± $19,747.60; median = $5595.80) (P<.001). In a generalized linear model adjusted for baseline covariates, cohort A had significantly lower costs than cohort B (β ± SE = 0.041 ± 0.017; P=.02). CONCLUSIONS: First-line treatment with calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate combination products after psoriasis diagnosis was associated with fewer office visits and lower total health care costs.