The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022) has allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers. Starting on January 1 of this year, this has meant lower out-of-pocket costs for essential prescriptions.
The first list of negotiated drugs for people with Part D coverage treats common and serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer. They were chosen because of their widespread use, high costs, and lack of competition.
The 2026 list includes:
- Eliquis for preventing blood clots
- Jardiance for diabetes and heart failure
- Xarelto for blood clots and heart disease risk
- Januvia for diabetes treatment
- Farxiga for diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease
- Entresto for heart failure
- Enbrel for rheumatoid arthritis & psoriasis
- Imbruvica for blood cancers
- Stelara for auto-immune conditions
- Insulin products Fiasp/Fiasp FlexTouch / Fiasp PenFill and NovoLog/NovoLog FlexPen/NovoLog PenFill
Negotiated pricing will lead to significant savings and better access for all Americans. Each year, more high-cost drugs will be selected, with the next set of negotiated prices taking effect in 2027. If you have questions about the impact on your Medicare spending or decision-making, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Resources: cms.gov; medicarerights.org