Biden Admin Touts Billions In Savings As It Debuts Medicare Drug Discounts
The discounts, which will take effect in 2026, are a major milestone for Democrats and will apply to 10 often-prescribed medications: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and the insulins Fiasp and NovoLog.
Politico:
In A First, Medicare Has Set Prices For 10 Drugs, Saving Billions
The Biden administration on Thursday released the results of the first Medicare drug price negotiations, a milestone in Democrats’ decadeslong quest to have the nation’s largest payer use its leverage to lower prescription drug prices. The result is a $6 billion savings across 10 drugs when new prices take effect in 2026, according to the White House, and beneficiaries will save roughly $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs. “Empowering Medicare to negotiate prices not only strengthens the program for generations to come, but also puts a check on skyrocketing drug prices,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. (King, 8/15)
USA Today:
Medicare Negotiated Discounts On 10 Widely Used Prescribed Drugs
Older Americans on Medicare who take 10 widely-prescribed drugs such as Xarelto or Eliquis will get a break on the medications' list prices beginning in 2026. The Biden administration on Thursday announced Medicare negotiated discounts with pharmaceutical companies on 10 drugs prescribed to treat blood clots, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The drugs include Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and the insulins Fiasp and NovoLog. (Alltucker, 8/15)
NPR:
Medicare Negotiated Drug Prices For The First Time. Here’s What It Got
President Biden and Vice President Harris are expected to trumpet the announcement at an event on Thursday in Maryland, where they will each give remarks about lowering health care costs for Americans. It’s the first formal joint speaking appearance for Biden and Harris since he stepped aside from his bid for a second term and endorsed Harris last month. (Lupkin and Khalid, 8/15)
Read CMS' fact sheet for specific details —
Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program: Negotiated Prices for Initial Price Applicability Year 2026
In related news about Medicare costs —
Stat:
Arthritis Patients, Squeezed By Medicare, Turn To Cheaper IV Drugs
As many as 40,000 chronically ill seniors are choosing to endure uncomfortable, time-consuming intravenous infusions because Medicare doesn’t sufficiently cover far more convenient, and less distressing, at-home treatments with the arthritis drug Humira. (Howlett and Tamayo, 8/15)
CNN:
Kamala Harris’ Complicated History With Medicare For All Becomes A Trump Campaign Attack Line
Kamala Harris may be done with Medicare for All, but Medicare for All – with a new nudge from former President Donald Trump – isn’t done with her. The Trump campaign on Wednesday attacked Harris over her past support for a move to the single-payer, government-run health care system long championed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Medicare for All gained broad support among progressive Democrats, especially those with eyes on the White House, before and during the early stages of the party’s 2020 presidential primary. (Krieg and Luhby, 8/14)
On the Affordable Care Act —
KFF Health News:
New Lines Of Attack Form Against The Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act is back under attack. Not as in the repeal-and-replace debates of yore, but in a fresher take from Republican lawmakers who say key parts of the ACA cost taxpayers too much and provide incentive for fraud. Several House Republican leaders have called on two watchdog agencies to investigate, while Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) fired off more than half a dozen questions in a recent letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (Appleby, 8/15)
