JESSUP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Many Pennsylvania families have seen lower health care and prescription drug costs, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Biden signed into law in 2022.
US Senator Bob Casey was in Lackawanna County Wednesday morning highlighting many benefits Pennsylvanians are already seeing from that bill. But still, some residents say more needs to be done, to make life-saving medications affordable.
Dozens of older Lackawanna County residents heard from one woman from Lake Ariel, about the struggles she and her husband face. With a handful of medical conditions between them, they have had to decide to skip the days they take their medications to make it last the year.
While the Inflation Reduction Act will eventually help them, you'll hear it also may be too late.
Barbara Richel and her husband Frank are in a tough spot.
"Last April he was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, which is a rare blood disease, there is no cure, the doctor there put him on Jakafi, which runs over $17,000 a month."
Wednesday morning the Hamlin resident shared her husband's medical struggles along with her own, to a group of other older Lackawanna County residents at Mid Valley Community Senior Center in Jessup.
"I suffer from Bechets it's an autoimmune disease. It affects every blood vessel in my body," stated Richel.
Only about 16,000 people in the US suffer from the rare disease, which caused a blood clot in Richel's leg last year. The 73-year-old couple is on a fixed income. Richel admits they both stretch their medications by skipping doses, to get through the year.
"You know you do what you have to do to get by, I mean the cost of medications in this country is outlandish."
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Richel joined US Senator Bob Casey, and other community leaders to highlight how the Inflation Reduction Act has lowered healthcare costs for Pennsylvanians.
"We've made good progress capping the cost of insulin at $35 and then capping the out-of-pocket costs overall for seniors at $2,000," stated Sen. Bob Casey (D) Pennsylvania
Casey said more than 80,000 seniors in p-a have already benefited from the caps.
For the first time, Medicare has the authority to negotiate prescription drugs for medicare part d beneficiaries and seniors.
A number of drugmakers are challenging that in court. Eliquis and Xarelto are both on that list, medications the Richels have been prescribed.
While that's promising news they are now fighting their insurance company to receive this month's supply of Jakafi, the drug that will slow down the progression of Frank Richel's cancer diagnosis
"If we don't get the medication it runs out at the end of this week, without medication there's about a 2-year survival rate, with the medication up to five. So we're kind of between a rock and a hard place right now waiting to hear," explained Richel.
The second cap on out-of-pocket costs will go into effect next year. People will see those benefits in 2026.
Sen. Casey tells me more still needs to be done to lower prescription drug costs for all Americans.
As for the Richels along with many others, they continue to take it day by day and hope for the best in their latest health battle.
