All 15 drugmakers agree to join the third Medicare negotiation cycle
CMS said on March 13, 2026 that all 15 drugmakers named for the program's third negotiation round have agreed to take part, keeping talks on track for prices that would start in 2028 — a process that in an earlier round already set new Medicare prices for Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on March 13, 2026 that the manufacturers of all 15 drugs chosen for the third cycle of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program have agreed to participate [1]. A 16th manufacturer, whose drug was picked for renegotiation, is also continuing in the program [1]. The negotiations for this cycle will take place during 2026, and any negotiated prices that result would take effect in 2028 [1].
CMS has not yet published the specific list of which 15 drugs were selected for this third cycle, known as initial price applicability year (IPAY) 2028 [1]. That means it is not yet known from CMS's public materials whether any GLP-1 medicine, such as semaglutide or tirzepatide products, is among the drugs up for negotiation in this round.
What is documented is the program's history with GLP-1 drugs. Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy — all versions of semaglutide made by Novo Nordisk — were selected in the second cycle of negotiations, covering IPAY 2027 [1]. CMS published a formal price explanation for that group of drugs, and the negotiated maximum fair prices for those three products are set to take effect on January 1, 2027 [1]. The first negotiation cycle, covering IPAY 2026, involved 10 different drugs and did not include any GLP-1 medicines; those prices take effect January 1, 2026 [1].
The negotiation program works in yearly cycles. Each year, CMS selects a new batch of high-cost drugs covered under Medicare Part D, and in later cycles also Part B, for manufacturers to negotiate a maximum fair price. Manufacturers can choose not to participate, but doing so exposes them to steep excise taxes under the law that created the program [1]. So far, drugmakers in all three cycles announced to date have agreed to negotiate rather than opt out [1].
Why it matters for patients
For Medicare beneficiaries who use semaglutide products, the confirmed news is that Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy already have negotiated prices scheduled to start January 1, 2027, as part of the second negotiation cycle [1]. That is a separate and earlier date than the third-cycle news described here, which involves prices that would not begin until 2028 [1].
Whether tirzepatide products such as Mounjaro or Zepbound, or any other GLP-1 medicine, will be part of the 2028 pricing round is not yet known. CMS's announcement confirms manufacturer participation but does not name the specific drugs in this batch [1]. Patients who rely on GLP-1 medicines through Medicare should know that any effect on their out-of-pocket costs depends on which drugs CMS eventually lists for IPAY 2028, information that has not yet been made public in the sources reviewed here.
What happens next
CMS says negotiation meetings for the third cycle will occur throughout 2026, with any agreed-upon prices set to take effect in 2028 [1]. Separately, the maximum fair prices already negotiated for Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy are scheduled to begin January 1, 2027 [1]. CMS has said it will continue to update its selected-drug list and pricing files as new information becomes available, including a version dated May 26, 2026 [1].
Sources
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