CW: Poverty
Living with a disability can be expensive. A study from Stony Brook University found that many disabled people spend thousands of dollars each year on their needs. In this three-year study, Associate Professor Zachary Morris sought to find out how much disabled people spend on related needs and whether they can afford what they need.
The report, published in the Disability and Health Journal, highlighted the increased cost-of-living challenges that disabled people face, which Morris and his team called “The Disability Squeeze.” This squeeze represents the additional expenses for items and services such as assistive technologies, home modifications, and transportation. Focusing on these essentials can make it hard to pay for basic needs like decent housing, food, or preventive medical care. One key finding showed that one in five dollars spent went towards disability-related expenses, and two-thirds of disabled people reported unmet needs.
For many, these figures reflect everyday life. I have cerebral palsy, which requires personalized adaptive equipment. My power wheelchair costs about $25,000, similar to some cars, and my walker was a few thousand dollars as well. Without health insurance covering these costs, I would face bankruptcy.
Expenses continue beyond that. Because I use a power wheelchair, I need an accessible van. The cost of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle can range from $20,000 to $100,000, depending on the manufacturer, model, and features.
For comparison, the average price of a used car in the U.S. by late 2024 was $28,472, with the price difference between new and used cars exceeding $20,000. This shows how specialized accessible vehicles often cost much more than the average nondisabled American pays for a vehicle.
In addition to equipment and transportation, personal care also incurs ongoing costs. My personal care assistant, or PCA services, are covered by Medicaid and cost about $70,000 a year. Without that coverage, I would find it financially impossible to get the support needed to live safely and independently. This starkly highlights that even with insurance or public programs, the overall cost of disability support remains extremely high.
New national data illustrate how significant these expenses can be and how often disabled people go without essential supports. A recent survey from June 2023, conducted through the Understanding America Study, provides one of the clearest pictures of the financial pressures facing working-age disabled adults in the U.S.
The survey collected information from a nationally representative group and asked participants about their annual out-of-pocket spending on disability-related goods and services, the percentage of their income spent on these expenses, and whether they lacked access to needed supports. Researchers analyzed how these experiences varied among different demographic groups.
The results reveal a major financial burden. On average, disabled adults reported spending $5,341 annually on disability-related items like assistive devices, personal care, home modifications, and accessible transportation. For the average person, these expenses accounted for about 20 percent of household income. Even with insurance or public programs, many disabled individuals still face high costs for the support necessary for safe and independent living.
The study also found widespread unmet needs. Two-thirds of respondents reported being unable to obtain at least one disability-related good or service they needed. These unmet needs can impact daily life, health, and overall well-being and point to ongoing gaps even when disabled individuals work hard to secure proper support.
Clear disparities also emerged. Disabled adults living below the federal poverty line reported lower spending overall, not because their needs were fewer, but because they had fewer resources to meet them. Meanwhile, they experienced greater financial strain due to the expenses they incurred. Hispanic disabled adults reported lower expenses, yet they faced higher rates of unmet needs. This suggests that structural barriers continue to limit access to essential supports.
Overall, the findings illustrate what researchers term “the disability squeeze”—the mix of high costs, limited resources, and unmet needs that affect so many disabled individuals across the country. Disability-related goods and services are crucial; they are essential for health, independence, and participation in daily life. When disabled people cannot afford or access them, the effects ripple outward, impacting families, communities, and long-term well-being.
By providing national estimates of both spending and unmet needs, this research presents vital evidence for policymakers, service providers, and advocates working to improve equity and access. It emphasizes the need to strengthen support systems and ensure that disabled people do not bear these costs alone.
Sources:
Bernard, Corentin. “Used Car Prices: October 2024.” J.D. Power, 30 Oct. 2024, http://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/used-car-prices-october-2024
“Converting vs Purchasing a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle.” Ability Center, 16 May 2022, http://www.braunability.com/abilitycenter/blog/convert-wheelchair-van-vs-purchase-wheelchair-van/
Drury, Ivan. “Average Price Gap between New and Used Vehicles Surpasses $20K for the First Time Ever in Q3.” Edmunds, 29 Oct. 2024, http://www.edmunds.com/car-news/used-car-report-q3-2024.html
Morris, Zachary A., et al. “The Disability Squeeze: Out-of-Pocket Expenses and Unmet Needs for Disability-Related Goods and Services in the U.S.” Disability and Health Journal, vol. 19, no. 1, Jan. 2026, p. 101930. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2025.101930.