Ozempic, Wegovy Among 15 Drugs Selected by HHS for Medicare Price Negotiations

The Epoch Times Header

The department said the drugs are relied upon by millions to treat conditions including asthma, cancer and diabetes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Jan. 17 that it has selected the next 15 drugs to undergo Medicare drug price negotiations with pharmaceutical companies, as the federal government seeks to lower soaring medical costs for Americans.

The drugs are relied upon by millions of seniors across the country to treat an array of conditions such as asthma, cancer, and diabetes, and accounted for roughly $41 billion in total gross covered prescription drug costs under Medicare Part D between Nov. 1, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2024, HHS said.

They include popular drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, which are used for diabetes and weight loss, as well as cancer medications Ibrance and Xtandi.

According to HHS, negotiations with participating drug companies will take place in 2025, with any negotiated prices going into effect for people with Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage in 2027.

Negotiations will be led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The latest negotiations are made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in 2022, which gave Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Medicare covers around 66 million people across the nation.

โ€œLast year we proved that negotiating for lower drug prices works,โ€ said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. โ€œNow we plan to build on that record by negotiating for lower prices for 15 additional important drugs for seniors.โ€

Becerra said HHS will โ€œcontinue negotiating in the best interest of people with Medicare to have access to innovative, life-saving treatments at lower costs.โ€

The drugs up for negotiation are:

  • Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy: Used for weight loss and to treat Type 2 diabetes.
  • Trelegy Ellipta: An asthma treatment.
  • Xtandi: Used for prostate cancer.
  • Pomalyst: A chemotherapy drug used for Kaposiโ€™s sarcoma and multiple myeloma.
  • Ibrance: A breast cancer drug.
  • Ofev: Used for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
  • Linzess: Used to treat chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.
  • Calquence: A cancer drug used in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma.
  • Austedo, Austedo XR: Used for Huntingtonโ€™s disease and tardive dyskinesia.
  • Breo Ellipta: A chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma drug.
  • Tradjenta: Used to treat Type 2 diabetes.
  • Xifaxan: Used for diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome.
  • Vraylar: An antipsychotic drug used to treat bipolar I disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia.
  • Janumet, Janumet XR: Diabetes drugs.
  • Otezla: Used for oral ulcers in Behรงetโ€™s disease, plaque psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis.

Byย Katabella Roberts

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Columns

Viewers like you

There is no constitutional authority for any spending on public broadcasting โ€“ period. Any questions: See Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Trans-wormal

No worm ever said "I am anthropomorphizing, I am a butterfly" to a toad or flock of geese and expected acknowledgement and support.

In Greenlandโ€™s Icy Capital, Past Troubles Haunt Hopes for the Future

As geopolitical realities and ongoing economic growth raise the stakes, U.S. interest in Greenland and the dream of independence may change things in a big way.

How a Chinese Government Statistician Was Forced to Report Fake Data

Chinese local govt employee produced a non-authorized report on bees and was visited by police and threatened with being sent to a mental hospital.

โ€˜This One Time, at Groomer Campโ€™

All Camp Brave Trails programs focus on helping LGBTQ+ youth find what they need most to thrive: their people, their place, and their passion.

News

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow Dismantling of Education Department

Trump admin asked Supreme Court to allow it to resume dismantling U.S. Dept of Education, following a lower courtโ€™s previous order halting process.

FTC Warns of Rising Student Loan Scams, Says Fraudsters Took Millions From Borrowers

FTC is warning borrowers to steer clear of student loan debt-relief scams, after shutting down group of companies that allegedly charged millions in illegal fees and left customers worse off.

Walmartโ€™s Drone Delivery Coming to 5 More US Cities

Walmart is set to launch its drone delivery service in five more U.S. cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa, the company.

Court Orders Trump Administration to Restore AmeriCorps Funding to States

Federal court ordered Trump admin to restore AmeriCorps funding to states. The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit filed by 24 states and DC.

Tax Deductions You Can Take Without Itemizing

Itโ€™s not always beneficial to itemize. With IRSโ€™s current standard deduction for 2025 most Americans who canโ€™t itemize go with standard deduction.

US Economy Adds 139,000 New Jobs in May, Topping Market Forecasts

U.S. economy added 139,000 new jobs last month, surpassing economistsโ€™ expectations and indicating U.S. labor market remains in a robust position.

Guatemalan Deportee Arrives in US After Judge Orders Trump Admin to Facilitate Return

โ€œAmericaโ€™s asylum system was never intended to be used as a de facto amnesty program or a catch-all, get-out-of-deportation-free card,โ€ McLaughlin said.

Trump-Musk Feud Escalates Over Spending Bill: 5 Things to Know

A public feud between Musk and Trump took a turn for the worse. Musk claimed president wouldnโ€™t have won without him and president suggested Muskโ€™s subsidies could be pulled.
spot_img

Related Articles