Medicare Targets 15 High-Profile Drugs In Third Price Negotiation Cycle

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the selection of 15 high-cost prescription drugs for the third cycle of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, marking the first time the initiative includes drugs reimbursed under Medicare Part B.
CMS said the medications are used to treat conditions including cancer, psoriatic arthritis, and HIV-1 infection.
The agency said negotiations with participating drugmakers will take place in 2026, with any agreed-upon or renegotiated prices scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2028.
CMS also selected one previously negotiated drug for its first renegotiation under the program.
Program Scope Widens Beyond Part D
The move builds on earlier negotiation cycles that focused solely on Medicare Part D drugs, expanding the scope of the program to include physician-administered treatments typically covered under Part B.
The agency framed the announcement as a continuation of efforts launched under President Donald Trump to rein in prescription drug costs for seniors and taxpayers.
During the second negotiation cycle, Medicare reached agreements with manufacturers on all 15 selected drugs, with those prices set to take effect on January 1, 2027.
CMS estimated that if the second-cycle negotiated prices had been in place in 2024, Medicare would have saved about $8.5 billion in net covered prescription drug costs, including spending under the Coverage Gap Discount Program.
That reduction would have translated to approximately 36% lower net spending across the selected drugs.
CMS Leadership Commentary on Cost …Full story available on Benzinga.com

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