CMS Announces 15 New High-Cost Drugs for Medicare Price Negotiation Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the next 15 drugs that will enter the third cycle of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (MDPNP), according to a news release.¹ Following negotiations, these new drug prices are set to take effect at the start of 2028, marking a total of 40 Medicare-discounted drugs by this time.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, CMS is taking strong action to target the most expensive drugs in Medicare, negotiate fair prices, and make sure the system works for patients—not special interests,” CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, said in the news release. “This approach delivers real savings while strengthening accountability across the program.”

Stemming from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, signed into law by President Joseph Biden, the MDPNP and its provisions have been developed over the past 4 years as Medicare beneficiaries first realize savings on out-of-pocket (OOP) drug costs in 2026. Going forward, 30 more discounted drugs will reach pharmacy shelves by 2028, with half going into effect at the start of 2027.²

While the 15 drugs announced for 2027 negotiations included blockbuster medications like Ozempic, the third cycle of drugs is especially unique because, in 2028, the MDPNP will offer discounted Medicare Part B drugs for the very first time.¹

READ MORE: Pharmacies Adapting to IRA-Negotiated Drug Prices Despite Looming Financial Concerns

The next 15 drugs set to undergo negotiations and take effect in 2028 include umeclidinium/vilantero (Anoro Ellipta), bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (Biktarvy), onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox and Botox Cosmetic), certolizumab pegol (Cimzia), secukinumab (Cosentyx), vedolizumab (Entyvio), apalutamide (Erleada), ribociclib (Kisqali), lenvatinib (Lenvima), abatacept (Orencia), brexpiprazole (Rexulti), dulaglutide (Trulicity), abemaciclib (Verzenio), tofacitinib (Xeljanz and Xeljanz XR), and omalizumab (Xolair).

Regarding the first Part B drugs included in the program, this next group of discounts is particularly aimed at IV infusions and injectable treatments, which are covered by Part B for outpatient treatment and administration from a health care professional, respectively. The drugs commonly covered under Part B plans included in the newest list are Botox, Cimzia, Cosentyx, Entyvio, Orencia, and Xolair.³

The remaining 9 drugs include several oral formulations to treat cancer, mental health, and HIV. Furthermore, among all 15 newly chosen drugs, linagliptin (Tradjenta) is the only one that is being renegotiated following its inclusion in the 15 drugs for 2027.¹

What Is the Approach?

“The publication of the list of top 50 negotiation-eligible drugs evidences CMS’ commitment to transparency,” CMS Deputy Administrator and Director of Medicare Chris Klomp said in the CMS release. “By applying clear eligibility criteria and practical negotiation policies, we are ensuring the program responds to market changes while delivering fairness and value for the American people.”

For the 2027 negotiations, Novo Nordisk’s diabetes and weight-loss drug formulations led the way as the highest expenditure drugs on the list. Including the manufacturer’s Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy, all drugs within next year’s discounted prices were informed by a list of the highest-cost drugs from November 2023 to October 2024.²

For the discounted prices hitting pharmacy shelves in 2028, CMS conducted a similar approach. However, this time, they pulled 15 drugs from “a list of 50 top negotiation-eligible drugs based on combined expenditures under Medicare Parts B and D.”¹

The Administration’s Continued Push for Lower Drug Costs

“Older Americans across the political spectrum consistently say that lowering drug prices is a top priority, and we thank the administration for protecting Medicare’s ability to meet that need,” Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD, CEO of AARP, told ABC News.⁴

Many experts, politicians, and patients across the country have expressed their support for lower drug prices, especially for seniors covered under Medicare.⁵ And while on the surface it may seem like a bipartisan approach, the current administration has attempted to downplay the success of the IRA and its associated MDPNP, according to Stat News.⁶

Regardless of what government or supply chain entity is taking credit for these lower prices, there are some arenas within health care where new negotiated costs are adding an additional hurdle to some of health care’s most burdened workers—namely pharmacists.

Pharmacies Left with the Program’s Unintended Consequences

Because of the new program, as well as the technology and processes backing it, many pharmacies dispensing Medicare-covered drugs may face up to a 21-day window of reduced cash flow for every drug dispensed.⁵

“Everyone, especially pharmacists, is in favor of lower drug prices, especially for older adults,” James Lewis, senior director of policy & advocacy at the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), said in a recent interview with Drug Topics. “But there was a way to build this system that did not balance the cost of implementing the program on pharmacies. Unfortunately, both Congress and CMS, when given the chance to not do it that way, chose that pharmacy continues to be the unintended victim and payer of this entire program.”

Experts like Lewis understand this is the new reality for community pharmacies and health care practices dealing with Medicare drugs. As more and more negotiations are announced, key players across health care will be forced to keep up with these new programs continuing to roll out throughout the coming years.

“Drug companies with a selected drug for the third cycle of negotiations will have until February 28, 2026, to decide if they will participate in negotiations,” concluded authors of the release.¹ “In negotiations, CMS will consider the selected drug’s clinical benefit, evidence about alternative treatments, the extent to which it addresses unmet medical needs, and its impact on specific populations, including people who rely on Medicare. CMS also considers other information, such as costs associated with research and development as well as current costs of production and distribution for selected drugs.”

READ MORE: IRA Drug Price Negotiations Threatening Pharmacies’ Financial Sustainability

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REFERENCES

1. CMS announces selection of drugs for third cycle of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, including first-ever Part B drugs. CMS. January 27, 2026. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-selection-drugs-third-cycle-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-program-including-first

2. Cubanski J. FAQs about the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. KFF. January 23, 2025. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.kff.org/medicare/faqs-about-the-inflation-reduction-acts-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-program/?entry=table-of-contents-how-many-and-which-types-of-drugs-qualified-for-price-negotiation-for-2027

3. Lester M. What psoriasis treatments does Medicare cover? biologics and more. GoodRx. July 23, 2024. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.goodrx.com/insurance/medicare/biologic-coverage-psoriasis

4. Swenson A. Trump Administration announces 15 new drugs for Medicare price negotiation program. ABC News. January 27, 2026. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/trump-administration-announces-15-new-drugs-medicare-price-129617075

5. Nowosielski B, Lewis J, Worz C. Q&A: New Medicare drug prices proving detrimental to pharmacy cashflow. Drug Topics. January 20, 2026. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.drugtopics.com/view/new-medicare-drug-prices-proving-detrimental-to-pharmacy-cashflow

6. Wilkerson J. 15 new drugs added to Medicare price negotiations. STAT News. January 27, 2026. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.statnews.com/2026/01/27/medicare-drug-price-negotiations-third-round-targets-15-drugs/