Boxes of Ozempic and Wegovy made by Novo Nordisk are seen at a pharmacy in London, Britain March 8, 2024. Hollie Adams | Reuters A version of this article first appeared in CNBC's Healthy Returns newsletter, which brings the latest health-care news straight to your inbox. Subscribe here to receive future editions.
Good afternoon! Wegovy, the blockbuster weight loss treatment from Novo Nordisk , tops the list of drugs that could soon become part of the second round of price negotiations between manufacturers and Medicare. That's according to a paper published last week in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy. By February, the government will unveil the next 15 costliest Medicare Part D drugs that will be subject to the talks, for price changes that will go into effect in 2027.
The Biden administration last month announced new negotiated prices for the first 10 Medicare Part D drugs selected for the talks. Those prices will take effect in 2026. Medications containing the same active ingredient and manufactured by the same company will be considered a single drug for the talks, according to guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The researchers said that's why they expect all of Novo Nordisk's three branded drugs containing semaglutide – Wegovy, the diabetes injection Ozempic and an older diabetes pill called Rybelsus – to be selected for the talks as a single product. That may be a big deal for older adults who use those treatments, which ea.
