Welcome to the Week in Review.

Medicare Negotiation Round Three Drugs Announced

The third round of expensive prescription drugs selected for Medicare negotiation were announced this week, covering medications that account for $27 billion in Medicare spending. The selected drugs treat a variety of chronic conditions — including cancer, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, asthma, and HIV — and several have been subject to recent price hikes by the industry, including Cimzia, which increased by $899 per kit, Entyvio, which increased by $748 per vial, and Xeljanz, which increased by $334 per package, underscoring the urgency of allowing Medicare to negotiate fairer prices. Predictably, PhRMA criticized the plans, but the stakes are clear: nearly 1.8 million people on Medicare rely on these drugs. From patients like Diane, who depends on Xeljanz and is forced to spend nearly her entire disability check in copays, and Dana, whose HIV medication, Biktarvy, costs thousands out of pocket each year, lower negotiated prices offer the promise of real relief. With earlier rounds projected to save patients $2.2 billion annually, round three builds on that momentum, even as the drug industry escalates attacks to block the program in the courts and via Congress. — [P4AD, AP, P4AD]

Impact of ORPHAN Cures Takes Shape

Wednesday’s Medicare negotiation announcement was a win for patients, but it was also notable for what was absent: the world’s best-selling drug Keytruda, a drug with nearly $30 billion worldwide in yearly sales. That omission is due to the passage of the ORPHAN Cures Act via OBBBA in July 2025, an unnecessary nearly $9 billion handout to the pharmaceutical industry that exempts drugs with multiple orphan indications from Medicare price negotiation, despite blockbuster revenues. As a result, prices for medications like Keytruda and Opdivo remain unchecked for years longer, leaving patients exposed to unaffordable prices. Pharma is pushing for even more giveaways like the EPIC Act, which would delay negotiation for small-molecule drugs, roughly 90% of all prescriptions. At a time when 86% of Americans on both sides of the aisle support granting Medicare the authority to negotiate prices for all drugs, efforts to weaken the program stand in clear opposition to both patient needs and public consensus. — [Drug Discovery Trends, The Hill, AV]

Rising Cost of Healthcare Top Worry for Americans

New polling from KFF reveals healthcare costs are now Americans’ top economic concern, eclipsing worries about housing, food, utilities, and gas.  Two-thirds of the public (66%) say they are worried about affording health care for themselves or their families, and a majority (55%) report their health care costs have increased over the past year, with one in five saying those costs rose faster than food or utilities. Looking ahead, 56% expect health care to become even less affordable. Against that backdrop, 90% of Americans say that drug prices are too high, and nearly three-quarters blame that on the pharmaceutical industry. The takeaway for lawmakers is clear: reforms that lower drug prices align with voter priorities across party lines.— [KFF, Washington Post, AV]

ICYMI: On Wednesday, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz met with Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee to discuss drug pricing strategy. The conversation’s focus was on the president’s most-favored-nation pricing strategy, according to insider reporting. — [POLITICO, Washington Post, STAT News]

Patient Advocate Spotlight: Marianne

Condition: Diabetes

Drugs: Trulicity ($280 per month)

Background: 66-year-old cosmetologist from Traverse City, Michigan

In Her Words: “I am on Medicare, and its cost is unbelievable with the additional cost of my medication Trulicity. With this medication, I am strapped financially, not knowing or exactly sure of where that money will come from. I am currently paying $280 a month for Trulicity, which is a huge financial burden. One would’ve thought life would be easier in old age! But I was wrong. We need lower-cost prescription drugs now because people like me need them without having to choose to give up food, heat, or electricity, as I do.”

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