White House unveils lower prices for popular heart, diabetes drugs after Medicare negotiations
The Biden-Harris administration has announced new, reduced prices for the first 10 prescription drugs chosen for Medicare price negotiations as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. A majority of the medications are associated with treating cardiovascular concerns such as heart failure, the formation of blood clots, coronary artery disease and diabetes. The new prices go into effect for patients enrolled in Medicare Part D in 2026.
The 10 drugs included in this first round of Medicare price negotiations are:
- Eliquis (apixaban) for the prevention and treatment of blood clots. Medicare price reduced 56%.
- Jardiance (empagliflozin), for diabetes and heart failure. Medicare price reduced 66%.
- Xarelto (rivaroxaban) for the prevention and treatment of blood clots and/or reducing the risks of coronary and peripheral artery disease. Medicare price reduced 62%.
- Januvia (sitagliptin), for diabetes. Medicare price reduced 79%.
- Farxiga (dapagliflozin), for diabetes, heart failure or chronic kidney disease. Medicare price reduced 68%.
- Entresto (sacubitril/valsartan), for heart failure. Medicare price reduced 53%.
- Enbrel (etanercept), for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Medicare price reduced 67%.
- Imbruvica (ibrutinib), for blood cancers. Medicare price reduced 38%.
- Stelara (ustekinumab), for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Medicare price reduced 66%.
- Fiasp; Fiasp FlexTouch; Fiasp PenFill; NovoLog; NovoLog FlexPen; NovoLog PenFill (insulin aspart), for diabetes. Medicare price reduced 76%.
Image courtesy of The White House.
According to the White House, these reduced prices will save American taxpayers approximately $6 billion in prescription drug costs. Medicare enrollees could save as much as $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2026 alone.
The Biden-Harris administration first announced its intention to negotiate for lower prices for these drugs back in August 2023. These negotiations are expected to become an annual occurrence moving forward.
“More drugs will be selected each year as part of Medicare’s drug price negotiation program,” according to a White House statement. “Medicare will select up to 15 additional drugs covered under Part D for negotiation in 2025, up to an additional 15 Part B and D drugs in 2026, and up to 20 drugs every year after that.”
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.