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September 2020 Drug List Updates: Eighteen (18) new generic drugs added to many Medicare Part D plan formularies.

Monthly Formulary changes · published Sep 29, 2020

As you may know, Medicare Part D prescription drug plans update their plan formularies (drug lists) throughout the plan year and the September 2020 Medicare Part D formulary updates included 46 new drugs, 18 of which are new generic drugs - with a total of 33 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*
CEFDINIR 250 MG/5 ML ORAL SUSPENSION [Omnicef] 69 391
DEFERASIROX 180 MG TABLET [Jadenu] 51 333
DEXABLISS 11 DAY 1.5 MG TABLET DS PK [ZCORT] 1 9
DICLOFENAC EPOLAMINE 1.3% PATCH TD12 [Licart] 2 114
DVORAH 325-30-16 MG TABLET [Panlor] 0 7
METHYLPHENIDATE ER 10 MG CAPSULE CSBP 40-60 [Ritalin LA] 1 35
METHYLPHENIDATE ER 15 MG CAPSULE CSBP 40-60 [Aptensio XR] 1 35
METHYLPHENIDATE ER 20 MG CAPSULE CSBP 40-60 [Ritalin LA] 1 34
METHYLPHENIDATE ER 30 MG CAPSULE CSBP 40-60 [Ritalin LA] 1 34
METHYLPHENIDATE ER 40 MG CAPSULE CSBP 40-60 [Ritalin LA] 1 34
METHYLPHENIDATE ER 50 MG CAPSULE CSBP 40-60 [Metadate CD] 1 35
METHYLPHENIDATE ER 60 MG CAPSULE CSBP 40-60 [Ritalin LA] 1 35
METHYLPHENIDATE LA 20 MG CAPSULE CPBP 50-50 [Ritalin LA] 9 187
METHYLPHENIDATE LA 30 MG CAPSULE CPBP 50-50 [Ritalin LA] 9 186
MICAFUNGIN 100 MG VIAL [Mycamine] 46 303
MICAFUNGIN 50 MG VIAL [Mycamine] 46 301
NALOXONE 2 MG AUTO-INJECTOR[EVZIO] 2 18
NITISINONE 10 MG CAPSULE [Orfadin] 68 368
NITISINONE 2 MG CAPSULE [Orfadin] 68 368
NITISINONE 5 MG CAPSULE [Orfadin] 68 368
NIZATIDINE 150 MG CAPSULE [Axid] 47 334
NIZATIDINE 300 MG CAPSULE [Axid] 47 335
POTASSIUM CL 20 MEQ-0.45% NACL IV SOLN 63 359
POTASSIUM CL 40 MEQ/100 ML SOL PIGGYBACK 42 286
RANOLAZINE ER 1,000 MG TABLET 12H [Ranexa] 69 390
RANOLAZINE ER 500 MG TABLET 12H [Ranexa] 69 390
TERIPARATIDE 620 MCG/2.48 ML PEN INJECTOR [Forteo] 13 165
VENLAFAXINE HCL 100 MG TABLET [Effexor] 69 393
VENLAFAXINE HCL 25 MG TABLET [Effexor] 69 393
VENLAFAXINE HCL 37.5 MG TABLET [Effexor] 69 393
VENLAFAXINE HCL 50 MG TABLET [Effexor] 69 393
VENLAFAXINE HCL 75 MG TABLET [Effexor] 69 393
VTOL LQ 50-325-40 MG/15 ML SOLUTION 1 16
ZIPRASIDONE 20 MG/ML VIAL [Geodon] 69 387
*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 September 2020 Medicare Part D formulary data.