Top Diabetes Drugs Anticipated To Get Lower Medicare Pricing

Following the completion of the first round of drug price negotiations, Medicare announced plans to negotiate prices for an additional 15 drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, which can cost people nearly $900 out of pocket without insurance or discounts. 

As part of initial negotiations that took place in 2023 under the Biden administration, new substantially lower prices are expected to take effect for a number of medications – among them, a handful approved for diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease.

Officials in the Trump administration have continued to use the Inflation Reduction Act to negotiate drug prices. The second round of negotiations with pharmaceutical companies wrapped up in November 2025, with the new pricing expected to take effect in 2027.

Which diabetes drugs have been negotiated? 

Here are all of the new prices for diabetes and weight loss drugs that have been negotiated so far:

How were these drugs chosen for negotiation? 

Government officials have made selections from a list of medications with the highest total Medicare Part D spending (Medicare Part D refers to prescription drug coverage). It includes several diabetes medications and insulins – including Ozempic, Wegovy, Lantus, Jardiance, NovoLog, and Trulicity – that are also on the list of the most expensive drugs overall. 

Will other drug prices be negotiated?

Medicare is expected to negotiate 15 more drugs under Part D to go into effect in 2028. An additional 20 drugs are anticipated to see lower prices in 2029.  

How large an impact will negotiated prices have? 

It is unclear how much these negotiations will impact Medicare beneficiaries themselves, whose out-of-pocket prescription drug costs vary considerably. Furthermore, the new $2,000-per-year spending cap that went into effect for Medicare Part D beneficiaries in 2025 may lead to changes in how seniors obtain and pay for the drugs they need.

Still, the negotiations have focused on widely used drugs. Nearly nine million older adults use the 10 drugs included in the first round of negotiations, and over five million use the drugs included in the second round. Therefore, the government anticipates nationwide savings.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has projected that, collectively, seniors on Medicare could save a total of $1.5 billion after the first round of negotiations that went into effect in 2026, and another $685 million after the second round goes into effect in 2027.

What does this announcement mean for people with diabetes? 

More affordable drugs for people with diabetes on Medicare will likely lead to more consistent use of their medication and better blood sugar management. 

"Making diabetes care more affordable is a top priority for the American Diabetes Association. We commend CMS for taking action to bring down costs of life-saving drugs, including those for Medicare beneficiaries living with prediabetes and diabetes,” said Lisa Murdock, chief advocacy officer at the American Diabetes Association. 

How might price negotiations affect diabetes research and innovation? 

One unintended effect of these price reductions is that they may potentially slow down pharmaceutical research. When lower prices go into effect, drug companies will likely make less money on these drugs. If drug companies bring in less money overall, they may need to make budget cuts to certain parts of their business, such as investing in research and clinical trials.

Since research is a key part of improving diabetes care, it is important to continue to advocate for investment in clinical trials. 

“Equally as important is the ongoing support of innovative research and development to find a cure for diabetes. We look forward to continuing to work with CMS and others to have a positive impact in the diabetes community we serve,” Murdock said.

Learn more about access to diabetes medications and insulin here:

• Brenzavvy Available for Less Than $50 Month
• Medicare Can Now Cover Wegovy for Obesity and Heart Disease
• New Law to Cap Insulin at $35