Marketplace All-in-One Slimmed down Medicare prices for diabetes and obesity drugs
Nov 26, 2025
Henry Epp, a healthcare and pharmaceutical policy reporter, discusses a groundbreaking 71% discount on diabetes and obesity drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, soon to significantly lower costs for Medicare recipients. Harshon Rattenpaul, a field reporter, delves into innovative bidding systems for food donations, revealing how a points-based market helps food banks prioritize what they need most. Both guests highlight the intricate balance of negotiation in healthcare and food security.
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Medicare Negotiations Cut Popular Drug Prices
- Medicare will get a 71% discount on Ozempic and Wegovy starting in 2027, cutting monthly costs dramatically.
- The Inflation Reduction Act enabled CMS to negotiate prices for selected drugs, bringing broader negotiated cuts in 2026–2027.
Inflation Reduction Act Powers CMS Bargaining
- The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 authorizes CMS to negotiate prices for 15 drugs per year, with effects starting in 2026.
- The first negotiated prices cover diabetes drugs and a blood thinner, with more rounds planned for 2027.
Daily Bidding For Food Bank Donations
- Daryl Bascom at a Missouri food bank logs in daily to bid on truckloads of donated food using a points system.
- He won a snack load for 3,000 points but lost baby formula that sold for 40,000 points to a larger New York bank.