OAN Staff Abril Elfi
4:08 PM – Friday, January 17, 2025
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have picked 15 additional drugs for Medicare price negotiation.
Administration officials announced the additional 15 drugs had been chosen in combination with the 10 already negotiated. The CMS had until February 1st to announce the new drugs added, making the announcement two weeks ahead of schedule.
On Friday, the Biden Administration released the names of the drugs selected for Medicare price negotiations, including Ozempic and Wegovy.
“Today, I’m proud to announce that my Administration has selected the next 15 drugs for Medicare drug price negotiation. The drugs treat conditions such as diabetes and cancer, and seniors across the country rely on them,” President Joe Biden said in a statement.
The negotiation process between Medicare and pharmaceutical companies is expected to take place over the coming months and the new negotiated prices won’t take effect until 2027.
The drugs selected to undergo negotiations are:
- Ozempic; Rybelsus; Wegovy, for Type 2 diabetes and weight loss.
- Trelegy Ellipta, an asthma treatment.
- Xtandi, for prostate cancer.
- Pomalyst, a chemotherapy drug.
- Ibrance, a breast cancer drug.
- Ofev, for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
- Linzess, a chronic constipation drug.
- Calquence, a cancer drug.
- Austedo; Austedo XR, for Huntington’s disease.
- Breo Ellipta, a COPD drug.
- Tradjenta, a diabetes drug.
- Xifaxan, for diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome.
- Vraylar, an antipsychotic drug.
- Janumet; Janumet XR, diabetes drugs.
- Otezla, a psoriatic arthritis drug.
Close to 2.3 million seniors in Medicare are using the semaglutide medications, including Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy by Novo Nordisk. Medicare says that the drugs added up to more than $14 billion covered by the program over the last year, the most of any medication in this round.
Manufacturers will have until February 28th to sign negotiation agreements.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
