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May 2023 Medicare Drug List Updates: Thirty-two (32) medications added to the 2023 Medicare Part D Drug plan formularies.

Category: Monthly Formulary Changes
Published: May, 21 2023 04:05:28
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The May 2023 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan formulary (drug list) data is now online and included in our Formulary Browser and Q1Rx Drug Finder.

The May formulary updates include the addition of 49 new National Drug Codes (NDCs), representing 32 different prescription drugs, many with multiple strengths.

The formulary updates impact both stand-alone Medicare Part D plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage (MAPDs).

The May 2023 Formulary updates include two (2) newly-added generic drugs

The May Medicare Part D drug data also includes twenty-eight (28) new generic medications, two (2) of which are newly-introduced generic drugs.  These new generic drugs include:

  • BISOPROLOL-HCTZ [Ziac®], and
  • LEVOFLOXACIN DROPS.

Please note that these new generic and brand-name drugs are not available on all Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage drug plans - and you can review the chart to see the (often limited) number of plan formularies that now include these drugs.


Reminders about Medicare prescription drug plan formulary changes
  1. Medicare Part D plans (PDPs and MAPDs) can change their formulary or drug list during the year and may drop one of your formulary medication mid-year for specific Medicare-allowable reasons (such as a new generic drug is available), but there are steps you can take if your medication is no longer covered by your prescription drug plan.

  2. In most cases, your Medicare Part D plan will notify you if the plan drops a medication you are currently using.

Good to know: What is the NDC?

The NDC or National Drug Code is used to uniquely identify a particular drug, manufacturer, strength, and packaging combination. The NDC is often shown on your prescription bottle as an 11-digit code (see the charts below) or could be formatted as 00000-0000-00 where the first set of numbers identifies the drug manufacturer, the second set of number identifies the product and strength, and the third set of numbers identifies the packaging.  You can read more here: Q1FAQ.com/155


Summary of May 2023 NDC changes

There are many reasons for NDCs to be added to the Medicare Part D program, a summary for all 49 new May 2023 NDCs is as follows:

Reason for NDC Addition Occurrences
New Delivery Form 1
New Drug 11
New Drug and Strength 7
New Drug, Delivery Form and Strength 4
New Manufacturer and Delivery Form 1
New Manufacturer and Strength 8
New Manufacturer, Strength and Delivery Form 2
New Strength 15
Grand Total 49

The following chart details the 49 new manufacturer / drug-strength / packaging combinations (NDCs) that were added to one or more Medicare Part D formularies in the most recent updates -- as you will notices, some drugs are only covered by a few Medicare plans.

You can click on the Drug Name below to go to our Q1Medicare.com Drug Finder (Q1Rx.com) and see the details of how this drug is covered by all Medicare Part D plans (PDPs) in Florida (our example state).  You can then change the state in our search form for details of drug coverage in your service area.


NDC Drug Name Number of
PDP Formularies*		 Number of
MAPD Formularies*		 Notes
72578000201 ACYCLOVIR 200 MG CAPSULE [Zovirax] 62 391 New Manufacturer, Strength and Delivery Form
76204020025 ALBUTEROL SULFATE 2.5 MG/3 ML SOLUTION VIAL-NEB 62 391 New Manufacturer, Strength and Delivery Form
00185032501 BENAZEPRIL-HCTZ 10-12.5 MG TABLET [Lotensin HCT] 62 387 New Strength
00185021101 BENAZEPRIL-HCTZ 20-12.5 MG TABLET [Lotensin HCT] 62 387 New Strength
00185027701 BENAZEPRIL-HCTZ 20-25 MG TABLET [Lotensin HCT] 62 387 New Strength
42799092201 BISOPROLOL-HCTZ 10-6.25 MG TABLET [Ziac] 61 390 New Drug
00069723230 CADUET 10 MG-20 MG TABLET 0
 2 New Strength
00069618030 CADUET 5 MG-10 MG TABLET 0
 2 New Strength
00069632330 CADUET 5 MG-20 MG TABLET 0
 2 New Strength
00069674730 CADUET 5 MG-80 MG TABLET 0
 2 New Strength
00049241010 CARDURA 1 MG TABLET 1 2 New Strength
00049251210 CARDURA 2 MG TABLET 1 2 New Strength
00049261410 CARDURA 4 MG TABLET 1 2 New Strength
81948625001 CEFACLOR 250 MG/5 ML ORAL SUSPENSION [Ceclor] 23 269 New Manufacturer and Strength
73116021556 COPIKTRA 15 MG CAPSULE 62 391 New Manufacturer and Strength
60505622904 DAPTOMYCIN 500 MG VIAL [Cubicin RF] 62 391 New Manufacturer and Strength
72578008601 DESONIDE 0.05% CREAM (G) [Tridesilon] 34 213 New Manufacturer and Delivery Form
00093960995 DOXEPIN 5% CREAM (G) [Zonalon] 5 58 New Drug
23155053925 DOXERCALCIFEROL 1 MCG CAPSULE [Hectorol] 18 236 New Drug
51672130308 ECONAZOLE NITRATE 1% CREAM (G) [Spectazole] 38 291 New Drug
70954048110 ESTAZOLAM 2 MG TABLET [ProSom] 3 90 New Drug
00054041413 FEBUXOSTAT 80 MG TABLET [Uloric] 26 291 New Manufacturer and Strength
00832151011 HALOPERIDOL 0.5 MG TABLET [Haldol] 62 391 New Strength
00832152011 HALOPERIDOL 1 MG TABLET [Haldol] 62 391 New Strength
00832153011 HALOPERIDOL 2 MG TABLET [Haldol] 62 391 New Strength
59762007301 HYDROCORTISONE 5 MG TABLET [Cortef] 62 391 New Strength
50742017601 ISOSORBIDE MONONIT ER 60 MG TABLET 24H [Isotrate ER] 62 391 New Drug
64380071104 LAMIVUDINE 300 MG TABLET [Epivir] 62 391 New Manufacturer and Strength
00169643210 LEVEMIR FLEXPEN 100 UNIT/ML INSULIN PEN 37 275 New Delivery Form
16571015050 LEVOFLOXACIN 0.5% EYE DROPS 5 ML BOTTLE 21 227 New Drug
00378181310 LEVOTHYROXINE 125 MCG TABLET [Unithroid] 62 391 New Drug and Strength
68180097501 LEVOTHYROXINE 200 MCG TABLET [Unithroid] 62 391 New Drug and Strength
68180097601 LEVOTHYROXINE 300 MCG TABLET [Unithroid] 62 391 New Drug and Strength
66993037179 MEDROXYPROGESTERONE 150 MG/ML SYRINGE [Depo-Provera] 62 383 New Drug, Delivery Form and Strength
66993037083 MEDROXYPROGESTERONE 150 MG/ML VIAL [Depo-Provera] 62 390 New Drug, Delivery Form and Strength
68382045219 MESALAMINE ER 0.375 GRAM CAPSULE ER 24H [Apriso] 56 369 New Drug
00713063337 METRONIDAZOLE 0.75% CREAM (G) [Vitazol] 62 390 New Drug
16714015503 NORETH-EE-FE 1-0.02(24)-75 CAPSULE [Taytulla] 12 126 New Drug
69238229401 OXYCODONE HCL ER 10 MG TABLET 12H [OxyContin] 0
 139 New Drug and Strength
69238229601 OXYCODONE HCL ER 20 MG TABLET 12H [OxyContin] 0
 139 New Drug and Strength
42858000401 OXYCODONE HCL (IR) 20 MG TABLET [Roxicodone] 62 389 New Drug, Delivery Form and Strength
00406855730 OXYCODONE HCL 100 MG/5 ML ORAL CONC [Roxicodone] 29 294 New Drug, Delivery Form and Strength
47335076583 PALIPERIDONE ER 3 MG TABLET 24 [Invega] 62 391 New Manufacturer and Strength
47335076683 PALIPERIDONE ER 6 MG TABLET 24 [Invega] 62 391 New Manufacturer and Strength
47335076783 PALIPERIDONE ER 9 MG TABLET 24 [Invega] 62 391 New Manufacturer and Strength
59762011901 PHENELZINE SULFATE 15 MG TABLET [Nardil] 62 391 New Drug
70700016201 PROGESTERONE 100 MG CAPSULE [Prometrium] 49 300 New Drug and Strength
70700016301 PROGESTERONE 200 MG CAPSULE [Prometrium] 49 300 New Drug and Strength
70954021210 TRIHEXYPHENIDYL 2 MG TABLET [Artane] 32 338 New Strength




If your brand-name drug is no longer covered by your Medicare Part D plan, you can use the 30-day notice period (if notice is provided) to:
  • Ask your prescriber about trying the generic.

  • Check for an alternative formulary drug.

  • Ask your plan to cover a non-formulary drug. 
    You will need to work with your doctor or prescriber to explain why you are not able to use the generic medication or why no other formulary drug is acceptable.  If your formulary exception is denied, you have the right to appeal your plan’s decision.

  • Consider using a Special Enrollment Period and move to another Medicare plan that provides coverage of all your prescription and health needs.
Learn more in our article: How a mid-year formulary change can affect your Medicare Part D drug coverage.

Our online Formulary Browser and Drug Finder

You can review any Medicare plan formulary using the Q1Medicare.com Formulary Browser found at: FormularyBrowser.com or compare how any medication is covered on all Medicare plans in your Service Area using our Drug Finder found at: Q1Rx.com.

Additional Formulary Drug Change Articles:

Medicare Part D Plan Formulary (Drug Lists) Updates:
September 2023, August 2023, June 2023, May 2023, April 2023, March 2023, February 2023, August 2022, June 2022, May 2022, April 2022, March 2022, February 2022, August 2021, June 2021, May 2021, April 2021, September 2020, August 2020, June 2020, May 2020, April 2020, March 2020, September 2019, July 2019, June 2019, May 2019, April 2019, March 2019, August 2018, July 2018, June 2018, May 2018, April 2018, August 2017, July 2017, May 2017, April 2017, August 2016, July 2016, June 2016, April 2016, March 2016, October 2015, August 2015, July 2015, May 2015, April 2015, August 2014, May 2014, August 2013, June 2013, May 2013, April 2013, August 2012, July 2012, June 2012

Formulary Changes to the Top Medicare Drugs:
September 2023, September 2022, September 2021, September 2020, April 2020, September 2019, April 2019, August 2018, April 2018, August 2017, April 2017, August 2016, April 2016, October 2015, April 2015, August 2014, August 2013, April 2013

New Generic Equivalents Added to Formularies:
June 2023, February 2023, August 2021, June 2021, May 2021, April 2021, September 2020, August 2020, June 2020, May 2020, April 2020, March 2020, September 2019, July 2019, June 2019, May 2019, April 2019, March 2019, August 2018, July 2018, April 2018, August 2017, July 2017, April 2017, March & April 2016, April & May 2015, August 2014, May 2014


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