Drugmakers agreed to negotiate Medicare prices on 15 more medicines, including the first ever under Part B
By Daniel Harper,
Medicare’s drug price negotiation program has expanded again, with federal officials announcing agreements on 15 additional medicines and, for the first time, a treatment covered under Part B. The move deepens the government’s direct role in determining what older Americans and people with disabilities pay for some of the costliest therapies in the country.
The new batch of negotiated products will not see lower prices at the pharmacy counter immediately, but it underscores that the Inflation Reduction Act’s drug provisions are shifting from legal theory to practical reality for patients, manufacturers, and investors.
How the latest Medicare negotiation round reshapes the program
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has now reached pricing agreements with manufacturers on 15 more drugs that account for significant spending in both Part D and, for the first time, Part B. Earlier negotiation rounds focused on outpatient prescription medicines. By adding a Part B product, which is typically administered in a doctor’s office or hospital clinic, Medicare is extending its new bargaining power into services billed directly by clinicians.
According to federal officials, the selected medicines rank among the highest in total Medicare spending, with some generating billions in annual outlays before rebates. The list includes treatments for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and cancer, all of which drive large portions of Medicare’s drug budget. The government’s authority to negotiate prices for these products stems from the Inflation Reduction Act, which created a staged process that begins with identification of high-spend drugs, moves through confidential discussions with manufacturers
