Medicare agrees to lower 10 drug prices

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The price of ten drugs are set to be decreased for many Ohioans on Medicare.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, prices on select drugs used to treat blood cancers, blood clots, diabetes, heart failure, psoriatic arthritis and more will be lowered.

As an example, Januvia by Merck Sharp & Dohme is commonly used to treat diabetes. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid shows the listed price for a 30-day supply in 2023 was $527. With the change, the price will decrease 79 percent to just $113 for the same supply for Medicare Part D members.

The entire list of the changes to the specific drugs is listed below:

According to U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), at least 381,000 Ohioans are prescribed at least one of the ten medications. Brown says he has been working for years to try and lower prescription drug costs, and isn’t going to stop.

“After years of fighting Big Pharma and their lobbyists, we are bringing down drug prices for Ohioans,” said Brown. “Soon many Ohioans on Medicare will be able to take advantage of negotiated lower prices for 10 popular prescriptions. I will continue to take on the drug companies and work to bring down drug costs for all Ohioans.”

The White House reports once the new pricing goes into effect, Medicare patients will save a reported $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs.

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