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April 2017 Formulary Changes to the Top Medicare Drugs

Category: Monthly Formulary changes
Published: May, 03 2017 08:05:31
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The April, 2017 Medicare Part D plan formulary (or drug list) data included 380 new drug codes representing 250 different medications.

Although this article is about some of the "top Medicare drugs", we include the generic equivalents to the list, thus bringing our list to include 18 drugs.  The generics included are Atorvastatin [Lipitor®] , Clopidogrel [Plavix®], Escitalopram [Lexapro®], Esomeprazole Sodium [Nexium®], Pioglitazone [Actos®], Risedronate Sodium [Actonel®], Quetiapine Fumarate [Seroquel®], and Valsartan-HCTZ [Diovan HCT®]. 

The changes to the number of formularies covering these medications looks as follows:

Count of 2017 Formularies covering the Top Medicare Drugs Program wide
    Formulary Count*
NDCDrug Name2013 End**2014 End**2015 End**2016 End**2017 Start**AprilMayJuneJulyAug.
00430047203ACTONEL 35 MG 36 DOSE PACK233248148251111    
64764030115ACTOS 30MG/1 TABLET (90 CT)2147535231616    
00173069600ADVAIR DISKUS MIS 250/50307347353348358362    
63304082790ATORVASTATIN 10 MG TABLET [Lipitor]316364394    
00378395009ATORVASTATIN 10 MG TABLET [Lipitor]385377379    
00378362777CLOPIDOGREL TAB 75MG [Plavix]315364    
55111019630CLOPIDOGREL TAB 75MG [Plavix]394    
00093731456CLOPIDOGREL TAB 75MG [Plavix]385377379    
00078031534DIOVAN HCT 160/12.5MG TABLET1858050292121    
00093585101ESCITALOPRAM 10 MG TABLET [Lexapro]315363385385377379    
47335050944ESOMEPRAZOLE SODIUM 40 MG VIAL [Nexium]253285    
62756050944ESOMEPRAZOLE SODIUM 40 MG VIAL [Nexium]285302292296    
00088222033LANTUS 100U/ML VIAL309350382371368372    
00456201001LEXAPRO 10MG TABLET925545261212    
00071015523LIPITOR 10MG TABLET684330212020    
00186504054NEXIUM 40MG CAPSULE198211206982533    
00378022893PIOGLITAZONE HCL 30 MG TABLET [Actos]310364394385377379    
63653117105PLAVIX 75MG TABLET1094834201313    
47335090288QUETIAPINE FUMARATE 25 MG TAB [SEROQUEL]316364394385377379    
00591207539RISEDRONATE SODIUM 35 MG TABLET [Actonel]243    
00093309844RISEDRONATE SODIUM 35 MG TABLET [Actonel]220246227229    
47335066868RISEDRONATE SODIUM 35 MG TABLET [Actonel]223237244    
00310027510SEROQUEL 25MG TABLET1125443261212    
00378632205VALSARTAN-HCTZ 160-12.5 MG TAB [Diovan HCT]297343388376370372    

*The formulary counts include both stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDP) and Medicare Advantage plans (MAPD) in all states and the U.S. territories.
**Ending 2013 CMS formulary dataset dated October, 2013. Ending 2014 CMS formulary dataset dated September, 2014. Ending 2015 CMS formulary dataset dated September, 2015. Ending 2016 CMS formulary dataset dated September, 2016. Starting 2017 CMS formulary dataset dated October, 2016 (Sanctioned plans not included in plan count).


You can review any Medicare plan formulary using the Q1Medicare.com FormularyBrowser at FormularyBrowser.com or compare how any medication is covered on all Medicare plans in your service area using our 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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