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May 2020 Drug List Updates: Twelve (12) new generic drugs added to many Medicare Part D plan formularies.

Monthly Formulary changes · published May 23, 2020

As you may know, Medicare Part D prescription drug plans update their plan formularies (drug lists) throughout the plan year and the May 2020 Medicare Part D formulary updates included 26 new drugs, 12 of which are new generic drugs - with a total of 16 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*
ACETAMIN-CAF-DIHYDROCODEIN 325 TABLET [Panlor] 0 7
ALORA 0.05 MG PATCH TDSW [Vivelle-Dot] 2 44
BENAZEPRIL-HCTZ 20-12.5 MG TABLET [Lotensin HCT] 64 361
BIVIGAM 10% VIAL [Panzyga] 25 197
BUTALBITAL-ACETAMINOPHN 25-325 TABLET [Allzital] 2 8
CARBINOXAMINE MALEATE 4 MG TABLET [Palgic] 0 72
ENSKYCE 28 TABLET [Solia] 61 359
NORMOSOL-R PH 7.4 IV SOLUTION 45 318
PREDNISONE 20 MG TABLET [Predone] 67 384
RANITIDINE 150 MG TABLET [Zantac] 67 380
SODIUM POLYSTYREN SULF 15 G/60 ML ORAL SUSPENSION [SPS] 65 358
TIADYLT ER 120 MG CAPSULE SA 24H [Tiazac] 59 354
TIADYLT ER 180 MG CAPSULE SA 24H [Tiazac] 59 354
TIADYLT ER 240 MG CAPSULE SA 24H [Tiazac] 59 354
TIADYLT ER 300 MG CAPSULE SA 24H [Tiazac] 59 354
TIADYLT ER 420 MG CAPSULE SA 24H [Tiazac] 59 351
*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
    .
    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 May 2020 Medicare Part D formulary data.