Medicare negotiation

The debate over Medicare negotiation has the potential to significantly impact the cost of prescription drugs in the United States.

Medicare negotiation is the process of allowing Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people over 65, to negotiate directly with drug companies to lower the prices of prescription drugs. Currently, Medicare is not allowed to negotiate drug prices, which means that pharmaceutical companies are free to set their own prices.

Arguments in favor of Medicare negotiation include the idea that lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries would save taxpayers money and also level the playing field between Medicare and private insurers.

Arguments against Medicare negotiation include the belief that it would lead to higher drug prices for everyone, not just Medicare beneficiaries, and stifle innovation by drug companies.

All Coverage

Politics Rachel Cohrs

STAT Plus: Medicare explains how it will choose drugs for negotiation

Politics John Wilkerson

STAT Plus: PhRMA chief dings health insurers over drug prices at their own conference

Politics Joanne Silberner

STAT Plus: Medicare will take R&D costs, effectiveness into account when it negotiates drug prices. But studies show that doesn’t affect prices

Politics John Wilkerson

STAT Plus: The Senate’s drug pricing bill is an inevitable solution. It will still have plenty of unintended consequences

Politics Rachel Cohrs

STAT Plus: ‘What can we do?’: Pharma lobbyists face their biggest test in a decade, as Democrats barrel toward a vote on drug pricing

Politics Nicholas Florko

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STAT Plus: Medicare explains how it will choose drugs for negotiation

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