See which drugs Biden is targeting first for Medicare price-lowering talks

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy, Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at the Old Post Office in Chicago.

Evan Vucci / Evan Vucci

The Biden administration is targeting the blood thinner Eliquis, diabetes treatment Jardiance and eight other medications for Medicare’s first-ever drug price negotiations as it seeks to lower medical costs for Americans.

The administration on Tuesday released a list of the 10 drugs for which prices will be negotiated directly with the manufacturer. The move is expected to cut costs for many patients, but it faces litigation from drugmakers and heavy criticism from Republican lawmakers, and it will be years before consumers notice any savings.

The effort is a centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s reelection pitch as the Democrat seeks to show Americans he’s deserving of a second term because of the work he’s doing to lower costs for them while the country is struggling with inflation. But like the drug negotiations, many of Biden’s biggest policy moves take time to roll out, and his challenge is to persuade the public to be patient.