The list includes popular medications that treat diabetes, cancer, COPD, arthritis and IBS
— From AARP — By Rachel Nania —
Medicare has chosen 15 prescription medications for price negotiations this year, building off a first round of negotiations for 10 drugs whose lower prices take effect in 2026.
The newly selected medications are among the costliest for Medicare’s prescription drug program — accounting for about $41 billion in total Medicare Part D spending — and are used by about 5.3 million enrollees to treat common conditions such as cancer, diabetes and asthma.
On the new list are Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus, all of which use the same active ingredient (semaglutide) and are prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes, weight loss and cardiovascular disease. Several cancer drugs were also selected, and so were medications that treat asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
The 15 prescription drugs picked by Medicare for price negotiations are:
- Ozempic; Rybelsus; Wegovy (type 2 diabetes, other indications)
- Trelegy Ellipta (COPD, asthma)
- Xtandi (cancer)
- Pomalyst (cancer)
- Ibrance (cancer)
- Ofev (chronic lung diseases)
- Linzess (inflammatory bowel disease)
- Calquence (cancer)
- Austedo; Austedo XR (Huntington’s disease)
- Breo Ellipta (COPD, asthma)
- Tradjenta (type 2 diabetes)
- Xifaxan (irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea)
- Vraylar (depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia)
- Janumet; Janumet XR (type 2 diabetes)
- Otezla (psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis)
For a number of older adults, these negotiations are a “big deal,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Some folks have to cut their pills in half or skip a dose in their prescription so that they can make their prescription last longer until they can afford to buy the next batch of drugs,” he said in a news briefing.
A 2024 survey from AARP found that nearly half of people report not filling a prescription due to its cost, or knowing someone who has done so. On average, prices for several of the 15 medications selected by Medicare for negotiation have nearly doubled since they first became available (an average of 11 years ago), a new report from AARP finds. Many of their price increases have exceeded the rate of inflation.
Negotiations with drug manufacturers on this second round of medications will take place throughout 2025 and the new prices will take effect in 2027. The negotiated prices will be announced by Nov. 30, and soon after, Medicare will select additional medications for a third round of negotiations, with more to follow.
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