Biden-Harris administration accused of masking Medicare hikes
The Facts
The Biden administration Thursday revealed new prices negotiated between Medicare and the pharmaceutical companies for 10 costly or common medications used by older Americans, including widely used blood thinners and arthritis medications.
The list of drugs includes Eliquis, which is used by nearly 4M Medicare enrollees for the treatment and prevention of blood clots; Jardiance, which is for heart failure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease and is used by more than 1.5M enrollees; and Xarelto, another blood clot medication that's used by more than 1.3M enrollees.
The Spin
Finally, the US has joined the rest of the world and negotiated prices over several medications. Now the users of these medications won't have to decide between paying the highest prices in the world for their drugs and paying for their families' basic needs. It's telling that pharmaceutical companies who are suing the government are also negotiating with the administration — even they know this is the best policy for all involved.
