Will I be able to get coverage for the new generic Lipitor® (atorvastatin) on my 2012 Medicare prescription drug plan?
Maybe, depending on your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. As a note, the name-brand drug Lipitor® is the best-selling medication used by about 4.3 million people in America alone for treating high cholesterol. But December 1st, 2011 marks the day when the Lipitor patent expires and a generic version of Lipitor (atorvastatin) should become available on the prescription drug market.
However, as noted recently in the press, the patent holder of Lipitor is offering some of the major Pharmacy Benefit Managers (or PBMs) discounts on the name-brand Lipitor for the first 180 days of 2012 and so many Medicare Part D plans may not initially offer coverage for the generic atorvastatin.
For instance, it has been reported that Medco, one of the nation's largest Pharmacy Benefit Managers, will not be covering the generic atorvastatin for the 1.2 million members on the Coventry Health plans – at least for the first 6 months of 2012.
The good news is that the coverage price of the name-name Lipitor could be reduced for Medicare prescription drug plan members even though the new generic atorvastatin is not covered by their plan.
Bottom Line: If you would like to use the generic alternative to Lipitor, check with your 2012 Medicare Part D prescription drug plan and ask whether the plan will be covering “atorvastatin” or whether you will receive a reduced co-payment or cost-sharing for the name-brand Lipitor.