The Biden admin unveiled the first 10 drugs that will be subject to Medicare price negotiations – a milestone for Democrats in their push to lower health care costs.
The list includes Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, Fiasp and NovoLog.
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Eliquis - blood thinner that lowers the risk of stroke, clot, or bleeding
Jardiance - control blood sugar for type 2 diabetes
Xarelto - prevent blood clots
Januvia - control blood sugar
Farxiga - control blood sugar
Entresto - blood pressure
Enbrel - lowers immune response for autoimmune disorders
Imbruvica - treat blood cancer
Stelara - immunosuppressant that treats autoimmune conditions
Fiasp/NovoLog - increases speed of absorption of insulin
Let me correct a few of these, as well as add why some of these are some really fantastic choices. These are all fairly expensive medications, but many of them are common first line and best choices for the relatively common things they treat. And while this is only for medicare directly, almost everything to do with medicare rolls downhill to private insurance. This will save many many many people a lot of money, or allow people to have the right medicines that would not otherwise be able to afford them.
Eliquis/Xarelto: Blood thinners. Tons of people on these, and they are safer and more convenient to take than the warfarin they replaced.
Jardiance/farxiga: Blood sugar medicines, but not just for diabetes type 2, also usable in type 1 as an adjunct to insulin. Also showing a lot of value in both subclasses of heart failure, even in people without diabetes. The data is so good that these are being prescribed for pretty much all heart failure patients as long as they can afford them.
Entresto: Not for blood pressure, although it does lower blood pressure. Another heart failure drug, far superior to the ACE inhibitors and Angiotensin receptor blockers it replaces as far as heart failure outcomes. Again, prescribed for pretty much all CHF patients that can afford it (and can tolerate the blood pressure lowering effect).
Fiasp/Novolog: Does not affect speed of insulin, is actually insulin. Short acting formulation, some of the more common ones. Not sure why Humalog/Admelog didn’t also make the cut. Probably next round. I’m sure you’ve all heard on here and reddit the cost of insulin being a major problem for diabetics.
Januvia: Blood sugar control, but only for type 2, not indicated for type 1. No other benefits. There’s other drugs I think we’d benefit from having on this list over januvia, but I wont’ complain too much.
Stelara/enbrel I have less familiarity with, not terrible choices from what I know. Quite expensive as all monoclonal antibodies are, and those who benefit from them, REALLY benefit from them.
Imbruvica I can’t speak to much too.
Overall this is a list of some of the most useful medicines in general adult medicine the use of which are frequently limited by cost.
Great 10. How can we really see this as a victory when thousands remain unaffordable.
You’re right, let’s make it zero!
/s
the first 10
Everything has to start somewhere.
Never make better an enemy of perfect.
This is good news but people won’t see benefits until 2026? That just seems so far away and a lot of money lost.
