LANSING — Medicare has expanded its drug price negotiation program, adding 15 more high-cost medicines for seniors in Michigan and nationwide.
For the first time, the expansion includes drugs covered under Medicare Part B, which are typically administered in a doctor’s office or clinic.
The Public news service is reporting that the program allows Medicare to negotiate directly with drug manufacturers to lower the cost of some of the most widely used and expensive medications.
The expansion builds on the first round of negotiated prices that took effect January 1, 2026.
Leigh Purvis, prescription drug principal with the AARP Public Policy Institute, said some medications are seeing price reductions ranging from roughly 40% to more than 50%.
Drugs now included treat asthma, cancer, lung disease and diabetes, along with GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Rybelsus.
Each drug undergoes a two-year negotiation process, and additional medicines have already been selected for future years.