The Biden administration on Wednesday will release a preliminary list of generic drugs that would be made available to Medicare recipients under a pilot program for no more than $2 out of pocket.
The initiative — which covers common drugs for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions — aims to test whether offering low-cost generics can boost seniors' medication adherence and health outcomes, while giving them more certainty on out-of-pocket costs.
The administration is asking for feedback on its list of 101 generic drugs that could be covered by the pilot, officials told Axios.
The list covers common prescriptions like penicillin, metformin, lithium and albuterol asthma inhalers. Thirty-five of the drugs treat blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions.
Drugs on the list wouldn't be subject to requirements like prior authorization or quantity limits. There still would be safety-related requirements.
The program won't start until January 2027 at the earliest, CMS said. When it does launch, the $2 generics program will be optional for Medicare prescription drug plans.
A future administration could decide to change courses or halt the initiative.
But starting in 2025, all Medicare beneficiaries will have a $2,000 annual cap on their out-of-pocket drug costs.
Posted by John3262005