Drugs to treat diabetes, heart disease and blood cancers among those affected by price negotiations

August 15, 2024 GMT
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Taxpayers are expected to save billions after the Biden administration inked deals with pharmaceuticals to lower the lists prices for 10 of Medicare’s costliest drugs; however, how much older Americans can expect to save when they fill a prescription remains unclear.
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Taxpayers are expected to save billions after the Biden administration inked deals with pharmaceuticals to lower the lists prices for 10 of Medicare’s costliest drugs; however, how much older Americans can expect to save when they fill a prescription remains unclear.

The Biden administration says Medicare recipients will save about $1.5 billion on out-of-pocket costs for medications to treat diabetes, heart disease, types of arthritis and other ailments under new prices negotiated with drug companies that will take effect in 2026.

The savings range from 79% for Januvia, used to manage diabetes, to 38% for Imbruvica, which is used to treat blood cancers. That is the medication’s cost before any discounts or rebates are applied, but not what the price people actually pay when filling their prescriptions.

A look at the drugs and the negotiated prices.

Januvia

Manufacturer: Merck Sharp Dohme

Conditions: Diabetes

Negotiated price: $113 for a 30-day supply

Reduction: 79%

Fiasp; Fiasp FlexTouch; Fiasp PenFill; NovoLog; NovoLog FlexPen; NovoLog PenFill:

Manufacturer: Novo Norodisk

Conditions: Diabetes

Negotiated price: $119 for a 30- day supply

Reduction: 76%

Farxiga

Manufacturer: AstraZeneca AB.

Conditions: Diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease

Negotiated price: $178.50 for a 30-day supply

Reduction: 68%

Enbrel

Manufacturer: Immunex Corp.

Conditions: Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

Negotiated price: $2,355 for a 30-day supply

Reduction: 67%

Jardiance

Manufacturer: Boehringer Ingelheim

Conditions: Diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease

Negotiated price: $197 for a 30-day supply

Reduction: 66%

Stelara

Manufacturer: Janssen Biotech Inc.

Conditions: Psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis

Negotiated price: $4,695 for a 30-day supply

Reduction: 66%

Xarelto

Manufacturer: Janssen Pharms

Conditions: Prevention and treatment of blood clots. Reduction of risk for patients with coronary or peripheral artery disease

Negotiated price: $197 for a 30-day supply

Reduction: 62%

Eliquis

Manufacturer: Bristol Myers Squibb

Conditions: Prevention and treatment of blood clots

Negotiated price: $231 for a 30-day supply

Reduction: 56%

Entresto

Manufacturer: Novartis Pharms Corp

Conditions: Heart failure

Negotiated price: $295 for a 30-day supply

Reduction: 53%

Imbruvica

Manufacturer: Pharmacyclics LLC

Conditions: Blood cancers

Negotiated price: $9,319 for a 30-day supply

Savings: 38%