Your Guide to the 2026 Medicare Drug Price Changes
If you’re on Medicare, you may have heard that big changes are coming to prescription drug costs. For the first time, Medicare is negotiating prices for some of the most expensive drugs on the market. This guide will walk you through exactly what’s happening, list the first drugs with lower prices in 2026, and show you how to check if your medications are included.
What Are These New Medicare Drug Discounts?
For years, prescription drug prices have been a major concern for seniors. In response, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 gave Medicare a powerful new tool: the ability to negotiate drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies. This is a significant shift designed to make essential medications more affordable for millions of Americans.
The process is straightforward. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) identifies certain high-expenditure, single-source drugs without generic or biosimilar competition. They then enter a negotiation process with the manufacturers to agree on a new, lower maximum price.
These new prices will be rolled out in phases over the next several years. The very first group of 10 drugs will have their negotiated prices take effect on January 1, 2026. This means if you take one of these medications, your out-of-pocket costs through your Medicare Part D plan are expected to decrease.
It’s important to remember that this program will expand over time. More drugs will be added to the negotiation list in the coming years, bringing further relief to beneficiaries.
The First 10 Drugs with Lower Prices in 2026
The core of the new program begins with 10 widely used prescription drugs. If you take any of the medications on this list, you are likely to see savings starting in 2026. Here is the official list of the first 10 drugs selected for price negotiation, along with what they are commonly used to treat.
- Eliquis (Apixaban): Used to prevent blood clots, reducing the risk of stroke in people with atrial fibrillation.
- Jardiance (Empagliflozin): Primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes and has also been approved for treating certain types of heart failure.
- Xarelto (Rivaroxaban): Another common medication used to prevent and treat blood clots and reduce the risk of stroke.
- Januvia (Sitagliptin): Used to help control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes.
- Farxiga (Dapagliflozin): Treats type 2 diabetes, certain types of heart failure, and chronic kidney disease.
- Entresto (Sacubitril/Valsartan): A combination medicine used to treat certain types of heart failure.
- Enbrel (Etanercept): A biologic drug used to treat several autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
- Imbruvica (Ibrutinib): A targeted therapy medication used to treat certain types of blood cancers, like mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
- Stelara (Ustekinumab): Used to treat several autoimmune disorders, including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
- Fiasp; Fiasp FlexTouch; Fiasp PenFill; Novolog; Novolog FlexPen; Novolog PenFill (Insulin Aspart): These are different brand names for a rapid-acting insulin used to manage blood sugar levels in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
If your prescription is on this list, the price Medicare and your plan pay will be lower in 2026. This should directly translate to lower copayments or coinsurance for you at the pharmacy counter.
How to Check if Your Meds are Included (Now and in the Future)
The ad you saw promised to show you how to check if your medications are included, and it’s a simple process. Here are the best ways to stay informed about which drugs are part of the negotiation program.
1. Review the 2026 List Above
The most immediate step is to check the list in the section above. These 10 drugs are the only ones that will have negotiated prices in effect for 2026. If your medication is on that list, you are set to benefit from this first round.
2. Visit the Official Medicare Website
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, the official source is the best place to look. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) manages this program. You can find official announcements and future lists of negotiated drugs on their websites: Medicare.gov and CMS.gov. As new drugs are selected for negotiation in future years, they will be announced there first.
3. Talk to Your Doctor or Pharmacist
Your healthcare providers are your best personal resource. They know your health history and the specific medications you take. When you have your next appointment, ask your doctor if any of your prescriptions are on the negotiation list or if they expect them to be added in the future. Your pharmacist is also an excellent source of information about drug costs and plan coverage.
4. Watch for Your Annual Plan Information
Every fall, you receive an “Annual Notice of Change” (ANOC) from your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan. This document outlines any changes for the upcoming year, including changes to your drug formulary and costs. Starting in the fall of 2025 (for the 2026 plan year), the new, lower costs for these 10 drugs will be reflected in those documents.
What to Expect in the Coming Years
This program is just getting started. The timeline for future drug negotiations is already set, so you can know when to expect more medications to be added.
- For 2027: An additional 15 Part D drugs will be selected for negotiation.
- For 2028: Another 15 drugs will be selected, this time including medications covered under both Part D and Part B.
- For 2029 and Beyond: The program will continue to expand, with up to 20 new drugs selected for negotiation each year.
This phased approach ensures the program can grow steadily, bringing more and more high-cost drugs under control and providing lasting financial relief for Medicare beneficiaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my drug isn’t on the first list? Don’t worry. This is just the beginning. The program will add 15 to 20 new drugs to the negotiation list each year. Keep an eye on official announcements from CMS to see which drugs will be added for 2027 and beyond.
Will this affect my Medicare Advantage plan? Yes. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage (MA-PD), it must cover the drugs with negotiated prices. You should see the same kind of savings as someone with a standalone Part D plan.
When will I actually pay the lower price? The new, negotiated prices for the first 10 drugs will take effect on January 1, 2026. You will see the change in your out-of-pocket costs when you fill your first prescription for one of these drugs in 2026.