White House Announces New Prices for First Ten Drugs Subject to Medicare Negotiation

Alliance President Robert Roach, Jr., and Executive Director Richard Fiesta were with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday at an event in Maryland to celebrate the dramatically lower prices people with Medicare will pay for ten of the most commonly used drugs.

The new prices are 60% lower on average, with two drugs slashed by more than 75% per month (see full list below). All told, Medicare beneficiaries will save $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs and taxpayers will save $6 billion in the first year alone when the new prices go into effect in 2026.

Left to Right: Rich Fiesta; Prince George's County, Maryland county executive and nominee for U.S. Senate Angela Alsobrooks; and Robert Roach at Maryland event featuring President Biden and Vice President Harris Thursday

Fiesta called the development “a win for millions of seniors who take medications to treat heart disease, diabetes, and other serious conditions, who will soon pay hundreds — and in some cases thousands of dollars less — for their needed medications.” 

“Americans have long paid the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, but that is finally changing,” Fiesta added. “It took more than two decades of relentless activism on the ground, advocacy by thousands of Alliance members, and the election of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to pass a law giving Medicare the power to negotiate fair drug prices for patients and taxpayers.”

“Combined with the $2,000 out of pocket cap on drug costs that will take effect in January, millions of Americans will now be healthier and more financially secure,” said Fiesta.

“The Biden-Harris administration has taken on the powerful drug industry and delivered for patients and families, something leaders of both parties promised and failed to do for decades,” said President Roach. “Not one Republican in the House or Senate voted for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that requires Medicare to negotiate lower prices when it was passed two years ago.”

“Many Republicans still want to repeal the IRA and reverse the progress we have made, but we will not be deterred,” President Roach added. “Our 4.4 million members will continue fighting for lower drug prices so that Medicare can negotiate prices for even more drugs in the future.”

Over the next decade, the prices of additional drugs will be negotiated and Medicare will save a total of about $100 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

In January 2026 the costs of a 30 day-supply of medication will be:

• Eliquis, a blood thinner from Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer: $231, down from $521;

• Xarelto, a blood thinner from Johnson & Johnson; $197, down from $517;

• Januvia, a diabetes drug from Merck: $113, down from $527;

• Jardiance, a diabetes drug from Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly: $197, down from $573;

• Enbrel, a rheumatoid arthritis drug from Amgen: $2,355, down from $7,106;

• Imbruvica, a drug for blood cancers from AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson: $9,319, down from $14,934;

• Farxiga, a drug for diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease from AstraZeneca: $178, down from $556;

• Entresto, a heart failure drug from Novartis: $295, down from $628;

• Stelara, a drug for psoriasis and Crohn’s disease from J&J: $4,695, down from $13,836;

• Fiasp and NovoLog, diabetes drugs from Novo Nordisk: $119, down from $495.

Alliance Members Mark Social Security’s 89th Anniversary with Events Across the Country

Recognizing the essential role that Social Security has played in helping older Americans retire with dignity, members of the Alliance are hosting more than 40 events this week to celebrate and educate the public about the importance of the program on its 89^th birthday, August 14.

Presiden Roach and Executive Director Fiesta commemorated the birthday at the White House, where the Biden-Harris administration held its own event Wednesday headlined by Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley and Representative John Larson (CT). 

From Connecticut to California and Ohio to Arizona, Alliance events ranged from rallies and birthday parties with cake and music to policy discussions with members of Congress. 

“We’re encouraging our retiree members to speak out to make sure that Social Security is strengthened so it will continue to be there for our children and grandchildren,” said Fiesta.

Nevada Alliance members celebrated at two events, one with Rep. Susie Lee and one with Rep. Dina Titus. A Texas anniversary celebration in Austin today features Rep. Colin Allred and several speakers from the Texas Alliance.

At some events, Alliance members presented their members of Congress with the Alliance’s “Retiree Hero” award for their 100% pro-retiree score in the Alliance’s annual Congressional Voting Record. Pennsylvania Alliance members honored Sen. Bob Casey and Rep. Brendan Boyle at a Philadelphia labor hall with Retiree Hero awards for their perfect scores. Rep. Susan Wild (PA) was endorsed for reelection at a celebration in Allentown, PA.

Rep. Kathy Castor celebrated with Alliance members with cupcakes in Tampa Tuesday. Florida Alliance members then joined Rep. Lois Frankel in West Palm Beach Wednesday, where she was presented with a Retiree Hero Award for her 100% score in the Congressional Voting Record. Attendees at the event noted Sen. Rick Scott’s 0% score in the Alliance Voting Record last year with a “Retiree Zero” award. 

Illinois anniversary events included endorsements for Reps. Nikki Budzinski and Jan Schakowsky for reelection to the U.S. House. 

The Social Security anniversary comes with less than 90 days until Election Day. “It is critical that older Americans pay attention to the candidates’ records,” Fiesta added. “Vice President Harris has always voted to strengthen and protect Social Security, while Donald Trump’s proposed budgets slashed Social Security’s budgets. Trump also tried to cut Social Security’s dedicated funding source while he was in office.”

SSA Inspector General: Social Security Scams Are On the Rise

A new type of hybrid scam called “long-con” fraud has been increasing over the past three months. According to officials from the Office of the Inspector General at the Social Security Administration (SSA), Social Security-related scams have increased 31.6% since last year.

“Long-con” scams involve a scammer gaining the trust and confidence of a target over time. Many times, the target is contacted by one scammer by email or text message who “discovers” a fabricated issue with the target’s Amazon or Paypal account, and sends the target to a fake SSA agent. The fake SSA agent then discovers a larger fake issue, such as the target’s Social Security number (SSN) being compromised. Usually, these scams culminate with an in-person meeting between the target and someone involved in the scam. The target then gives the scammer cash, gold, cryptocurrency, or another form of currency to hold for them while their SSN is “compromised.”  

These long-con scams tend to target older Americans, and the scammers have extensive knowledge of their targets, making them seem credible when they are not. An Ohio woman was recently scammed out of $500,000 in retirement savings by long-con scammers posing as members of the SSA, as well as other supposed government officials.

“These ‘long-con’ scams are particularly vicious because they target individuals who are on fixed incomes, and they come for everything,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “We appreciate the hard work the SSA is doing to spread awareness of the issue.”

Alliance Member Pam Parker Speaks at White House Event Celebrating Inflation Reduction Act Anniversary, Lower Insulin Prices

Pam Parker (second from right) with other speakers at the White House Tuesday

Maryland/DC Alliance member Pam Parker spoke about her relief from high insulin prices at the White House Tuesday. The event was a celebration of the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, which is officially August 16. 

Ms. Parker joined other story tellers in expressing their gratitude for the $35 per month limit on out-of-pocket costs for insulin thanks to the 2022 law. She joined Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure and other distinguished speakers at the podium. 

New Mexico Alliance Endorses Gabe Vasquez for Reelection, Elects Officers

The New Mexico Alliance endorsed Rep. Gabe Vasquez for reelection to the House at their convention on Saturday.

Rep. Vasquez, front center, holding Hero Award plaque at his endorsement event with New Mexico Alliance members (photo credit: Dylan McArthur)

“Nearly half a million New Mexicans rely on Social Security benefits, and that’s why I fight to make sure we expand their hard-earned benefits – not cut them,” said Rep. Vasquez. “I will always show up for our senior and retiree community and I’m tremendously proud to earn their endorsement this critical election year,” said Rep. Vasquez. Elected to the New Mexico Alliance board as new officers for 2024 thru 2026 were: Dennis Conerty, President; Kelley Allen, First VP; Anne Pierce-Jones, Treasurer; Virgil Thompson, Secretary; and John Doran, Second VP.

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