The formulary might not include your specific drug. However, in most cases, a similar drug should be available. If you or your prescriber (your doctor or other health care provider who’s legally allowed to write prescriptions) believes none of the drugs on your plan’s formulary will work for your condition, you can ask for an Exception.

A Medicare drug plan can make some changes to its drug list during the year if it follows guidelines set by Medicare. Your plan may change its drug list during the year because drug therapies change, new drugs are released, or new medical information becomes available.

Plans offering Medicare prescription drug coverage under Part D may immediately remove drugs from their formularies after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers them unsafe or if their manufacturer removes them from the market. Plans meeting certain requirements also can immediately remove brand name drugs from their formularies and replace them with new generic drugs, or they can change the cost or coverage rules for brand name drugs when adding new generic drugs. If you’re currently taking any of these drugs, you’ll get information about the specific changes made afterwards.

For other changes involving a drug you’re currently taking that will affect you during the year, your plan must do one of these:

• Give you written notice at least 30 days before the date the change becomes effective.
• At the time you request a refill, provide written notice of the change and at least a month’s supply under the same plan rules as before the change.

You may need to change the drug you use or pay more for it. You can also ask for an exception. Generally, using drugs on your plan’s formulary will save you money. If you use a drug that isn’t on your plan’s drug list, you’ll have to pay full price instead of a copayment or coinsurance, unless you qualify for a formulary exception. All Medicare drug plans have negotiated to get lower prices for the drugs on their drug lists, so using those drugs will generally save you money. Also, using generic drugs instead of brand-name drugs may save you money.

• dosage form
• safety
• strength
• route of administration
• quality
• performance characteristics
• intended use

Generic drugs use the same active ingredients as brand-name prescription drugs. Generic drug makers must prove to the FDA that their product works the same way as the brand-name prescription drug. In some cases, there may not be a generic drug the same as the brand-name drug you take, but there may be another generic drug that will work as well for you. Talk to your doctor or other prescriber about your generic drug coverage.

Here’s an example of a Medicare drug plan’s tiers (your plan’s tiers may be different):

• Tier 1—lowest Copayment : most generic prescription drugs
• Tier 2—medium copayment: preferred, brand-name prescription drugs
• Tier 3—higher copayment: non-preferred, brand-name prescription drugs
• Specialty tier—highest copayment: very high cost prescription drugs

In some cases, if your drug is in a higher (more expensive) tier and your prescriber thinks you need that drug instead of a similar drug on a lower tier, you can file an Exception and ask your plan for a lower copayment.

Remember, this is only an example—your drug plan’s tiers may be different.