U.S. Picks First 10 Drugs for Medicare Price Negotiations

The U.S. government on Tuesday announced the first 10 drugs that will be subject to Medicare price negotiations, a major step in the Biden administration’s efforts to lower prescription drug costs.

The drugs include Eliquis, a blood thinner, and Jardiance, a diabetes drug. They are all among the most expensive drugs covered by Medicare, and the administration estimates that the negotiations could save the government $98.5 billion over a decade.

The negotiations will begin in 2023, with negotiated prices going into effect in 2026. The government will use a number of factors to determine the prices, including the drugs’ clinical value, their prices in other countries, and the costs of research and development.

The drug industry has opposed Medicare price negotiations, arguing that they will lead to higher drug prices for patients. However, the Biden administration has said that the negotiations are necessary to bring down the high cost of prescription drugs in the U.S.

The announcement of the first 10 drugs for negotiation is a significant milestone in the Biden administration’s efforts to lower prescription drug costs. The negotiations are expected to be complex and challenging, but they have the potential to save the government billions of dollars and make prescription drugs more affordable for patients.

Here are the 10 drugs that were selected for negotiation:

* Eliquis (a blood thinner)

* Jardiance (a diabetes drug)

* Xarelto (a blood thinner)

* Januvia (a diabetes drug)

* Farxiga (a diabetes drug)

* Entresto (a heart failure drug)

* Enbrel (a rheumatoid arthritis drug)

* Imbruvica (a blood cancer drug)

* Stelara (a Crohn’s disease drug)

* Fiasp (an insulin drug)

The government will select additional drugs for negotiation in the future.