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August 2015 Formulary Changes to the Top 10 Medicare Drugs

Category: Monthly Formulary Changes
Published: Aug, 17 2015 03:08:40


The most recent (July 2015) Medicare Part D plan formulary data (or drug lists) updates included 65 new drug codes.  See August 2015 Summary of the Most Recent Updates for the Medicare Part D Plan Formularies (Drug Lists) for details.

Although this blog is about the top 10 Medicare drugs, we include some of the newer generic equivalents to the list, thus bringing our list to include 17 drugs.  The generics included are Atorvastatin [Lipitor®] , Clopidogrel [Plavix®] (see change in manufacturer below), Escitalopram [Lexapro®], Esomeprazole Sodium [Nexium®], Pioglitazone [Actos®], Quetiapine Fumarate [Seroquel®], and Valsartan-HCTZ [Diovan HCT®]. 

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

Count of 2015 Formularies covering the Top 10 Medicare Drugs Program wide
    Formulary Count*
NDC Drug Name 2013 End** 2014 Start** 2014 End** 2015 Start** April May June July Aug.
00430047203 ACTONEL 35 MG 36 DOSE PACK 233 238 248 140 147 141 142 145 147
64764030115 ACTOS 30MG/1 TABLET (90 CT) 214 71 75 32 33 31 32 35 35
00173069600 ADVAIR DISKUS MIS 250/50 307 330 347 313 351 347 348 348 349
63304082790 ATORVASTATIN 10 MG TABLET [Lipitor] 316 340 364 350 393 388 389 389 391
00378362777 CLOPIDOGREL TAB 75MG [Plavix] 315 340 364 350 393        
55111019630 CLOPIDOGREL TAB 75MG [Plavix]           388 389 389 391
00078031534 DIOVAN HCT 160/12.5MG TABLET 185 78 80 47 48 46 47 50 50
00093585101 ESCITALOPRAM 10 MG TABLET [Lexapro] 315 339 363 349 392 387 388 388 390
47335050944 ESOMEPRAZOLE SODIUM 40 MG VIAL [Nexium]     253 235 271 269 270 282  
62756050944 ESOMEPRAZOLE SODIUM 40 MG VIAL [Nexium]                 281
00088222033 LANTUS 100U/ML VIAL 309 325 350 338 379 374 375 375 377
00456201001 LEXAPRO 10MG TABLET 92 54 55 31 43 41 42 45 45
00071015523 LIPITOR 10MG TABLET 68 42 43 28 28 26 27 30 30
00186504054 NEXIUM 40MG CAPSULE 198 198 211 156 202 199 200 200 201
00378022893 PIOGLITAZONE HCL 30 MG TABLET [Actos] 310 340 364 350 393 388 389 389 391
63653117105 PLAVIX 75MG TABLET 109 48 48 31 32 29 30 33 34
47335090288 QUETIAPINE FUMARATE 25 MG TAB [SEROQUEL] 316 339 364 350 393 388 389 389 391
00310027510 SEROQUEL 25MG TABLET 112 54 54 29 41 39 40 43 43
00378632205 VALSARTAN-HCTZ 160-12.5 MG TAB [Diovan HCT] 297 319 343 332 386 381 382 382 384

*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. Starting 2014 CMS formulary dataset dated October, 2013, ending 2014 CMS formulary dataset dated September, 2014. Starting 2015 CMS formulary dataset dated October, 2014.

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






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