What does healthcare actually cost in the Lehigh Valley, and how are families supposed to navigate a system that keeps getting more confusing? That's the question this Community Conversation set out to answer.
Local experts, advocates, and community members broke down why premiums and medical bills keep rising in the region, how recent policy and marketplace shifts, including changes to Medicaid, the ACA, and local hospital network mergers, are affecting patients, and what options exist for people who are uninsured or underinsured.
Source: Pennie
The conversation also covered practical tools for lowering healthcare costs, including healthcare navigators and bill-negotiation services, with step-by-step guidance for understanding your benefits, avoiding surprise medical bills, and finding affordable care close to home.
Missed it live? Watch the full conversation below or click here.
Featured guests included healthcare leaders, policymakers, and advocates from across the Lehigh Valley:
- Amanda Marie Greene, Vice President of Programs and Initiatives, Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare
- Tony DaRe, CEO, BSI Corporate Benefits
- Devon Trolley, Executive Director, Pennie
- Dr. Alycia Walty, Chief Medical Officer, Star Community Health
- Dr. Edmund Pribitkin, Chief Physician Executive, Executive Vice President, Jefferson Health
- Casi Scully, Associate Medical Director, Planned Parenthood Keystone
- John Fistner, Founder and CEO, AblePay Health
Resources for finding affordable care
Insurance and coverage help
- Pennie savings calculator — see what marketplace plans and subsidies you may qualify for
- AblePay Health — patient tools for lowering and negotiating medical bills
- GoodRx — compare prescription prices and find coupons at local pharmacies
- NeedyMeds — find patient assistance programs for prescription costs
- PACE/PACENET — prescription assistance for Pennsylvanians 65 and older
- PA CHIP — low-cost or free health coverage for uninsured kids and teens, no income cap
- HealthChoices Program — Lehigh County's Medicaid managed care program
- Free Medicare counseling (PA MEDI) — one-on-one help understanding your Medicare options
Community and specialized care
- Neighborhood Health Centers — community-based primary care
- Valley Health Partners Street Medicine — care for individuals experiencing homelessness
Support for specific populations
- Lily's Hope Foundation, Package of Hope — support for NICU families
- Boots to Health Foundation — health resources for local veterans
- Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center — LGBTQ+ health programs and resources
- Lehigh Valley Intake Unit — gateway to substance use treatment, with Medicaid, sliding-scale, and self-pay options for those without insurance
Broader guides
- PA 211 — statewide helpline to find local assistance for housing, food, healthcare and more
- Lehigh County Resource Guide (PA.gov) — comprehensive county services directory
- NAMI Lehigh Valley Mental Health Resource Guide — local mental health support and services