Biden’s New Policy Slashes Prices on 10 Key Medicines for Medicare Recipients

By: Georgia | Published: Aug 16, 2024

The Biden administration has announced massive price cuts for 10 of Medicare’s most costly drugs. 

By 2026, these changes are expected to pocket a total of $1.5 billion in savings for seniors.

A Groundbreaking Move in Drug Pricing

For the first time, the U.S. government is stepping in to negotiate drug prices directly. 

Advertisement
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris smiling and walking together on stage at an event with banners reading "Lowering Prescription Drug Costs" and American flags in the background

Source: POTUS/X

This bold move aims to lighten the load for the one in seven older Americans who struggle to pay for their medications. It’s all part of a bigger plan to tackle soaring healthcare costs.

Advertisement

Let's Talk Numbers: Major Price Drops

Let’s dive into some numbers: Eliquis, a widely used blood thinner, will now cost just $231, plummeting from $521. 

Advertisement
Two medication bottles on a counter, one labeled Xarelto and the other Eliquis, commonly used blood thinners

Source: BethWaldron/X

Xarelto follows suit, with a new price tag of $197, down from $517. 

Diabetes Medications Just Got More Affordable

Here’s a win for those managing diabetes: Januvia has dramatically dropped to $113 from $527. And Jardiance? Now $197, down from $573. 

Advertisement
A box of Januvia, marked as a 100 mg dosage, a medication used for treating diabetes.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

These are significant reductions, making daily life a bit easier for those needing these meds.

More Essential Medications See Price Cuts

The savings don’t stop there. Enbrel, crucial for treating rheumatoid arthritis, is now $2,355, previously $7,106. 

Advertisement
A box of Imbruvica (ibrutinib) tablets at 420 mg per tablet

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Cancer treatment Imbruvica is down to $9,319 from $14,934. 

Heart and Diabetes Drugs—Now More Affordable

Treatments for heart failure and diabetes are seeing new, lower prices too. 

A setup of diabetes management tools including a blood glucose meter, insulin pen, and several disposable insulin pen needles on a green background

Source: Diabetesmagazijn.nl/Unsplash

Farxiga drops to $178 and Entresto to $295, significantly down from their previous tags. Every dollar saved is a win for health and peace of mind.

Advertisement

Real Savings for Real People

The Biden administration is saying these cuts will do more than just save money—they’re set to make essential drugs more reachable for millions of Medicare users across America. 

A customer talking to pharmacists at a pharmacy counter, with medication displays visible in the background

Source: Tbel Abuseridze/Unsplash

This could mean a world of difference for many families.

Advertisement

Serious Savings from Serious Negotiations

These price negotiations, kicked off under the Inflation Reduction Act, started with Medicare throwing down the gauntlet with initial offers in January. 

Vice President Kamala Harris speaking at a podium with President Joe Biden applauding beside her at an event aimed at lowering prescription drug costs

Source: VP/X

The message is clear: they mean business about bringing down drug costs.

Advertisement

The First Step of Many

This is just the beginning. 

A close-up image of various colorful prescription pills scattered, showcasing different shapes and sizes

Source: freestocks/Unsplash

The administration has big plans to extend these cuts to more medications, aiming to make key treatments more wallet-friendly for more Medicare recipients in the years ahead.

Advertisement

A Historic Shift in Healthcare

This initiative marks a monumental shift.

A person organizing different colored pills into a weekly pill organizer, indicative of daily medication management

Source: Laurynas Me/Unsplash

It has the potential to reshape how seniors and others on Medicare handle their health expenses, particularly for serious conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Advertisement

Looking Forward: A Strategy for Savings

Looking ahead, the government has mapped out a long-term strategy to negotiate even lower drug prices. 

Green and blue capsules spilled out from an orange prescription bottle onto a dark wooden surface

Source: Alexander Grey/Unsplash

This ongoing effort is set to deliver substantial economic and health benefits to Medicare users.

Advertisement

A Promise of Lower Costs

As these groundbreaking negotiations wrap up, the administration reiterates its pledge to cut healthcare costs. 

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on stage at a campaign event, waving to the crowd with a banner reading "Lowering Prescription Drug Costs" in the background

Source: VP/X

With these new, lower prices set to kick in by 2026, it’s clear that help is on the way for millions who rely on these vital medications.

Advertisement