Are Medicare Rx Drug Price Negotiations Good for Patients?

I have tardive dyskinesia and do quite well on an expensive specialty drug that became available in 2017. I need my medication. Without it, my involuntary movements are crazy all over the place. Sleep is impossible, mood regulation (I have bipolar disorder too) is a joke and my back hurts from muscle spasms. 

There are only two medications that treat tardive dyskinesia (TD), Austedo and Ingrezza. Austedo is one of the drugs selected for the coming phase of drug price negotiations. 

At first, when I heard about the Medicare prescription drug negotiations, it sounded like a good thing. 

Then, I was out walking when I suddenly realized something that might not be so good.  

Let’s say Austedo’s price is negotiated down well below Ingrezza’s.

 This could result in pharmacy benefit managers taking Ingrezza off their formularies and going solely with the lower cost option. 

Which could result in Neurocrine having to lower the price of Ingrezza just to be able to compete. Or, this could result in some patients not being able to get their Ingrezza because it’s not covered anymore.   

And there you have it: Reduced access in a sphere where treatment options are few and cures are nonexistent. 

Those are the stakes. I just wish more patients knew.