June 2020 Drug List Updates: Fourteen (14) new generic drugs added to many Medicare Part D plan formularies.

As you may know, Medicare Part D prescription drug plans update their plan formularies (drug lists) throughout the plan year and the June 2020 Medicare Part D formulary updates included 25 new drugs, 14 of which are new generic drugs - with a total of 23 new generic equivalents (variations of manufacturer, drug-strength, and packaging).

Below is a full list of the new generics added to the 2020 Medicare Part D (PDP) and Medicare Advantage plan (MAPD) formularies:

Generic Drug Equivalent [Brand-Name Drug]	Number of PDP Formularies*	Number of MAPD Formularies*
AZELASTIN-FLUTIC 137-50MCG SPRAY/PUMP [Dymista]	4	62
CLOVIQUE 250 MG CAPSULE [Syprine]	55	337
DICLOFENAC EPOLAMINE 1.3% PATCH TD12 [Licart]	2	116
DUTASTERIDE-TAMSULOSIN 0.5-0.4 CPMP 24HR [Jalyn]	31	306
ESOMEPRAZOLE DR 10 MG PACKET SUSPDR PKT [Nexium]	12	108
ESOMEPRAZOLE DR 20 MG PACKET SUSPDR PKT [Nexium]	12	108
ESOMEPRAZOLE DR 40 MG PACKET SUSPDR PKT [Nexium]	12	108
EVEROLIMUS 0.25 MG TABLET [Zortress]	67	382
EVEROLIMUS 0.5 MG TABLET [Zortress]	67	382
EVEROLIMUS 0.75 MG TABLET [Zortress]	67	382
KETOPROFEN 50 MG CAPSULE [Orudis]	26	168
KETOPROFEN 75 MG CAPSULE [Orudis]	26	172
MEPERIDINE 50 MG TABLET [Meperitab]	3	47
NABUMETONE 500 MG TABLET [Relafen]	62	386
PERPHENAZINE 2 MG TABLET [Trilafon]	67	388
PERPHENAZINE 4 MG TABLET [Trilafon]	67	388
PERPHENAZINE 8 MG TABLET [Trilafon]	67	388
PHENOBARBITAL 15 MG TABLET	67	387
PHENOBARBITAL 30 MG TABLET	67	387
SOTALOL AF 160 MG TABLET [Sorine]	67	375
SOTALOL AF 80 MG TABLET [Sorine]	67	375
SULFASALAZINE DR 500 MG TABLET [Sulfazine EC]	60	379
TRAZODONE 150 MG TABLET [Desyrel]	67	388

*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 2020 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
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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 June 2020 Medicare Part D formulary data.