Advocates call on lawmakers for action on health care costs

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A group of health care advocates came together Thursday to discuss a call to action regarding the broad scope of issues people in the commonwealth are facing right now.

As some federal assistance programs are set to expire soon, some say they fear they may no longer be able to afford insurance or their medication.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey briefly hopped on the call amid votes and hearings. Casey said he's been working closely with advocates to address some of the top health care issues facing people not only in Pennsylvania but across the U.S.

He says the Senate is trying to tackle the cost of prescription drugs. He believes there is a chance to do something positive on the issue sometime this summer.

Another issue the Senate is focused on is home and community-based services. He says there has been some movement to help fund these services amid high demand from families of seniors and people with disabilities. It would come at a high cost though, possibly hundreds of billions of dollars.

He also touched on staffing these jobs, calling for higher pay, because many people have left the profession for more lucrative opportunities, higher than $12 an hour.

The clock is ticking on many of these issues because the enhanced tax credits from the American Rescue Plan that helped make healthcare more affordable are set to expire at the end of the year.