To examine trends in insurance coverage and out-of-pocket medical spending among adults under age 65 years with and without vision impairment (VI) from 2014 to 2024.
Approach:
Key Findings:
Uninsured rate among adults with VI declined from 15.1% to 10.1%.
Increased private and Medicaid coverage among adults with VI, while Medicare coverage declined.
Prevalence of any out-of-pocket (OOP) spending among adults with VI declined slightly.
Percentage of adults with VI whose OOP was 10% or more of family income decreased from 17.9% to 11.1%.
Mean OOP spending among adults with VI decreased from $2907.58 to $2495.27.
Interpretation:
Limitations:
Vision impairment and outcome measures were self-reported, potentially subject to bias.
Individuals with significant disabilities may be underrepresented in survey participation.
OOP spending was measured at the family level, not distinguishing between types of care.
