ACR Applauds Second Round of Medicare Drug Price Negotiations Save

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) applauded the announcement of additional drugs subject to pricing negotiations with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This second round includes nintedanib (Ofev) and apremilast (Otezla), which are used to treat common and rare rheumatologic conditions.

“Excessive drug costs often create a financial burden for patients, forcing some to choose to delay treatment or abandon care if they can’t cover the expenses. Skipping medication doses or forgoing treatment can worsen their conditions and cause irreversible harm,” said Carol Langford, MD, MHS, president of the ACR. “Given these risks, we applaud CMS’ initiative to make essential medications more affordable and accessible. While more work remains to reduce patient costs, we see drug pricing negotiations as an important advancement toward expanding access to care and improving management of rheumatic diseases.”