Closing the Gap in Pediatric Eye Care: A Network Adequacy Study
This comprehensive report highlights findings from a study to determine how and where eye care providers offer services for children in Arizona. The findings from this report supports those who advocate for children’s healthy vision with a tool that can inform policy change and identify resources for equitable access to eye care for children who need it.
Report highlights include:
- Accepting Insurance Matters: 74% of eye care practices do not serve children enrolled in AHCCCS, Arizona’s Medicaid insurance plan.
- Limited Children’s Services: Among the 703 eye care practices in Arizona, only about 41% serve children age 5 years or younger and 61% serve children age 18 years or younger.
- Major Rural Gaps: Four rural counties—Apache, Cochise, Gila, and Santa Cruz—have only one or no eye care providers who serve children.
- Awareness of Access: Access to children’s vision services is easier than many realize—more than 90% of the eye care practices that serve children do not require referrals from primary care providers.