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February 2023 Drug List Updates: sixteen (16) new generic drugs added to many Medicare Part D plan formularies.

Monthly Formulary changes · published Feb 28, 2023

As you may know, Medicare Part D prescription drug plans update their plan formularies (drug lists) throughout the plan year and the February 2023 Medicare Part D formulary updates included Seventy-one (71) new drugs, 38 of which are generics - with a total of fifty-six (56) new generic equivalents (variations of manufacturer, drug-strength, and packaging).

Of the thirty-eight (38) new generic medications, sixteen (16) are newly-introduced generic drugs.  These new generic drugs include:
  • APEXICON [Apexicon E®],
  • DABIGATRAN ETEXILATE [Pradaxa®],
  • FINGOLIMOD [Gilenya®],
  • FINZALA [Minastrin®],
  • INSULIN DEGLUDEC [Tresiba®],
  • JAVYGTOR [KUVAN®],
  • LEVAMLODIPINE [CONJUPRI®],
  • MESALAMINE [Pentasa®],
  • NAPROXEN [Naprelan®],
  • NORETH-EE-FE [Tri-Legest Fe®],
  • PENCICLOVIR [Denavir®],
  • PIRFENIDONE,
  • POTASSIUM CL [K-Tab®],
  • ROFLUMILAST [Daliresp®],
  • TAFLUPROST [ZIOPTAN®], and
  • VENLAFAXINE BESYLATE.

Please note that these new generic drugs are not available on all Medicare Part D (PDP) or Medicare Advantage plan (MAPD) formularies.  You can review the chart below to see the (often limited) number of plan formularies that now include these drugs.



Generic Drug Equivalent [Brand-Name Drug]

Number of
PDP
Formularies*

Number of
MAPD
Formularies*
ACCUTANE 10 MG CAPSULE [ZENATANE] 52 352
ACCUTANE 20 MG CAPSULE [ZENATANE] 52 353
ALBUTEROL SUL 0.63 MG/3 ML SOLUTION VIAL-NEB [Accuneb] 58 391
ALBUTEROL SUL 1.25 MG/3 ML SOLUTION VIAL-NEB [Accuneb] 58 391
APEXICON E 0.05% CREAM (G) [Apexicon E] 1 18
CARBAMAZEPINE ER 100 MG TABLET 12H [Tegretol -XR] 62 391
CARBAMAZEPINE ER 200 MG TABLET 12H [Tegretol -XR] 62 391
CARBAMAZEPINE ER 400 MG TABLET 12H [Tegretol -XR] 62 391
CHLORZOXAZONE 750 MG TABLET [Lorzone] 0 20
DABIGATRAN ETEXILATE 150 MG CP CAPSULE [Pradaxa] 50 242
DABIGATRAN ETEXILATE 75 CAPSULE [Pradaxa] 50 242
DEXLANSOPRAZOLE DR 60 MG CAPSULE DR BP [Kapidex] 17 83
FINGOLIMOD 0.5 MG CAPSULE [Gilenya] 49 375
FINZALA 1-0.02(24)-75 CHEWABLE TABLET [Minastrin] 9 99
ICOSAPENT ETHYL 500 MG CAPSULE [VASCEPA] 31 159
INSULIN DEGLUDEC 100 UNIT/ML VIAL [Tresiba] 0 11
INSULIN DEGLUDEC PEN (U-100) INSULN PEN [Tresiba] 0 11
INSULIN DEGLUDEC PEN (U-200) INSULN PEN [Tresiba] 0 11
JAVYGTOR 100 MG POWDER PACKET [KUVAN] 35 209
JAVYGTOR 100 MG TABLET SOL [KUVAN] 40 261
JAVYGTOR 500 MG POWDER PACKET [KUVAN] 35 210
KCL 20 MEQ/L IN D5W IV SOLUTION 54 315
KETOPROFEN 25 MG CAPSULE [Orudis] 2 47
KETOPROFEN 50 MG CAPSULE [Orudis] 3 58
LENALIDOMIDE 2.5 MG CAPSULE [Revlimid] 62 385
LENALIDOMIDE 20 MG CAPSULE [Revlimid] 62 385
LEVAMLODIPINE 2.5 MG TABLET [CONJUPRI] 0 5
LEVAMLODIPINE MALEATE 5 MG TABLET [CONJUPRI] 0 5
MEMANTINE HCL ER 14 MG CAPSULE SPR 24 [Namenda XR] 50 369
MEMANTINE HCL ER 21 MG CAPSULE SPR 24 [Namenda XR] 50 369
MEMANTINE HCL ER 7 MG CAPSULE SPR 24 [Namenda XR] 50 371
MESALAMINE ER 500 MG CAPSULE ER [Pentasa] 21 111
METHOCARBAMOL 1,000 MG TABLET 0 11
METHYLPREDNISOLONE 16 MG TABLET [Medrol Dosepak] 62 391
METRONIDAZOLE 500 MG/100 ML PIGGYBACK [Flagyl RTU] 62 391
MINOCYCLINE ER 55 MG TABLET 24H [Solodyn] 0 8
NAPROXEN SOD ER 375 MG TABLET TBMP 24HR [Naprelan] 0 22
NAPROXEN SOD ER 500 MG TABLET TBMP 24HR [Naprelan] 0 21
NORETH-EE-FE 1 MG/20-30-35 MCG TABLET [Tri-Legest Fe] 44 284
OFLOXACIN 400 MG TABLET [Floxin] 26 211
PENCICLOVIR 1% CREAM (G) [Denavir] 8 102
PIRFENIDONE 534 MG TABLET 31 277
POTASSIUM CL 20 MEQ-0.45% NACL IV SOLUTION 53 350
POTASSIUM CL 20 MEQ/1,000ML-NS IV SOLUTION 33 280
POTASSIUM CL 40 MEQ/1,000ML-NS IV SOLUTION 29 269
POTASSIUM CL ER 20 MEQ TABLET [K-Tab] 62 391
PRAMIPEXOLE ER 3.75 MG TABLET 24H [Mirapex ER] 5 119
ROFLUMILAST 500 MCG TABLET [Daliresp] 62 390
TAFLUPROST 0.0015% EYE DROP DROPERETTE [ZIOPTAN] 1 66
TAZAROTENE 0.05% GEL [TAZORAC] 41 195
TAZAROTENE 0.1% GEL [TAZORAC] 41 195
TIGECYCLINE 50 MG VIAL [Tygacil] 54 363
TIMOLOL MALEATE 0.25% EYE DROP DROPERETTE [Timoptic Ocumeter] 4 81
TRIMETHOPRIM 100 MG TABLET [Proloprim] 62 391
VENLAFAXINE BESYLATE ER 112.5 MGTABLET 24H 42 190
VENLAFAXINE HCL ER 37.5 MG TABLET 24H 1 97




*The number of formularies counts the unique formularies that offer this medication. As a note, the same formulary can be used by one or many different Medicare Part D plans. The same formulary can be used by both PDP and MAPD plans.

What Could the Addition of New Generic Drugs Mean to You?

  • You may be able to save money by switching from the brand-name drug to its generic equivalent – with your prescriber’s approval and a new prescription. Please note, you will need to look carefully at coverage costs as we have found that many 2023 generics are being offered on the same tier as their brand-name equivalent or the generics do not have a significantly lower retail price.

  • Your brand-name drug may no longer be available if a generic is now available. Based on past experience, you may find that many Medicare Part D plans discontinue coverage for the brand-name drug in the months following the introduction of the generic equivalent - or your plan may immediately drop the brand-name drug now that the generic is being introduced
    .
    If you have received notice from your Medicare Part D plan that your brand-name medication will be dropped, you should speak with your prescriber to determine if you can take the generic equivalent or if you must continue taking the brand-name drug, you will need to ask your plan for a formulary exception to continue coverage for your brand-name drug.

    You can click for a chart showing the trends in formulary coverage for some of the more popular Medicare drugs and their generic equivalents.
As a note, both our Formulary Browser (you can view all the drugs covered by a single Medicare prescription drug plan) and our the drug finder Drug Finder (you can view all the Medicare drug plans covering a single drug) have been updated with the February 2023 Medicare Part D formulary data.

Additional Formulary Drug Change Articles:

Medicare Part D Plan Formulary (Drug Lists) Updates:
June 2026, May 2026, March-April 2026, February 2026, 2026 Rx: November 2025, August 2025, July 2025, June 2025, April 2025, March 2025, June 2024, May 2024, April 2024, 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

New Generic Equivalents Added to Formularies:
2026 Gnrcs: November 2025 May 2024, 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