WASHINGTON — Popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have been added to Medicare’s list of medications that will be negotiated directly between the government and drug manufacturers, the Biden administration said Friday.
The price negotiations for the additional 15 drugs selected will be handled by the incoming Trump administration and almost assures billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers.
In addition to Ozempic and Wegovy, some of the other medications include Trelegy Ellipta, which treats asthma; Otezla, a psoriatic arthritis drug; and several that treat different forms of cancer.
The list is a first step in negotiations and, given the timing, the details and final pricing will be left to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.
“For some people this is a big deal,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a call with reporters on Thursday. “Some folks have to skip a dose in their prescription so they can make a prescription last longer.”
That brings the total to 25 drugs that will have lower price tags under a historic new program that allows the government to haggle over the price Medicare pays on the most popular and expensive drug scripts filled by older American. Those 25 drugs account for a third of Medicare spending on prescriptions, Becerra said.
