The government announced Tuesday the first prescription drugs for which Medicare will negotiate prices . The first drugs subject to these negotiations are Eliquis Jardiance Xarelto Januvia Farxiga Entresto Enbrel Imbruvica and Stelara as well as Fiasp and certain other insulins made by Novo Nordisk including NovoLog . These drugs cost Medicare enrollees big money . Last year Democrats pushed through the Inflation Reduction Act which gave Medicare the power to negotiate drugs for the first time ever . The new power will take time to implement and must still survive multiple court challenges by pharmaceutical companies . America generally pays more for medical care and for prescription drugs than its peer countries often much more. For instance a onemonth supply of the drug used in the diabetes medication Ozempic costs quadruple the sales price in Germany and . times the price in the Netherlands according to a recent study by KFF . The price differentials stem largely from the greater involvement of other countries governments in their health care systems which also setting prices are tradeoffs are a tradeoffs . The government is the single largest health care spender and medical and medical technology technology. The government should have the ability to negotiate drug prices. But there is no guarantee that Americans at least those who can afford it may have better access to the latest and medical technologies are better access and technology. It may not be able to access the latest medical and technology to the technology. to the government to negotiate the latest treatments. The program. The Government is the most expensive and technological advances. The cost of the pharmaceutical companies to negotiate. It is not necessarily what patients pay. There are no guarantees that the government should be able. It will not
A major development in the fight against prescription drug costs is a major development . A major
