Diabetes, cancer drugs dominate CMS’s new price negotiation list

There are no big surprises in CMS’s latest list of drugs subject to price negotiation, although the agency’s inclusion of four cancer drugs coupled with its justifications for the first round of maximum fair prices could suggest it’s aiming for bigger discounts than last year. 

As expected, the blockbuster weight loss drug semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, tops the list. CMS may have considered negotiation of a maximum fair price (MFP) for semaglutide as of particular importance due to the agency’s proposal in November to begin allowing Part D to cover obesity drugs. Currently, Part D covers semaglutide only in the context of obesity-related conditions such as diabetes and sleep apnea. ...