Medicare will soon negotiate prices for 15 more drugs as part of an effort to reduce costs for seniors and people with disabilities, federal health officials announced in a news release. The negotiations,

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, price negotiations with manufacturers will begin this year, with reduced prices expected to take effect in 2027.

The Health and Human Services Department won’t issue health advisories, reports or other materials until further notice, the Washington Post reported.

Meena Seshamani’s Medicare swan song ended on a note of bravura: the announcement that 15 costly drugs, including Novo Nordisk blockbusters Wegovy and Ozempic, are slated for price talks.

As of Monday, FDA commissioner Robert Califf, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, Medicare director Meena Seshamani, and FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research director Patrizia Cavazzoni have retired or intend to retire prior to Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.

Abe Sutton, a health policy aide in the first Trump administration, is likely to be named head of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation at CMS.

On its last weekday in power, the Biden Administration has chosen the next batch of drugs up for price negotiation in Medicare.

The talks around drugs including Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, GSK's Trelegy Ellipta, and Pfizer's Xtandi will set Medicare prices that go into effect in 2027.

The rescinded order directed Medicare and Medicaid to test ways to lower drug costs for enrollees. Those tests hadn’t started, so current drug prices are unaffected.

Experts suggest that most Americans will not experience immediate changes in their out-of-pocket health care expenses.

Ozempic and Wegovy, Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drugs that treat diabetes and obesity, are on the list. Astellas Pharma’s prostate cancer drug, Xtandi, is also on the list — alongside AstraZeneca’s cancer treatment Calquence, GSK’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) drug Breo Ellipta, and AbbVie’s antipsychotic medication Vraylar.

Paul Mango, a senior health official during President-elect Donald Trump's first term who was a member of Trump's current transition team, has died at 65. | Paul Mango, a senior health official during President-elect Donald Trump's first term who was a member of Trump's current transition team,