WOW! Great news: Formulary enhancements for 2023

Starting in 2023, many of the top medications taken by Aetna Medicare members will be on a lower drug tier, Tiers 1 and 2. In fact, nearly 300 drugs are moving to a lower drug tier.

This includes drugs for asthma, depression, anxiety, and more. And many drugs for high blood pressure and high cholesterol are already on Tiers 1 and 2.

Check out the top 100 drugs by formulary and tier and the top 20 down-tiered drugs by formulary.

What’s the big deal?

These formulary updates may help members save on prescription costs.

For example, some of the Tier 3 drugs moving to Tier 2 include:

ALBUTEROL SULFATE HFA (asthma, COPD)
ESCITALOPRAM OXALATE (depression, anxiety)
CELECOXIB (pain relief, inflammation)
BUPROPION HYDROCHLORIDE ER (XL) (depression, smoking cessation)

Other fun fact

We’ve down-tiered nearly 300 drugs across each of our formularies: B2: 294; B4/B4+: 279; B5: 278
Improved the volume of Tier 1 and 2 drugs on our MAPD formularies by 45% (compared with 2022)
Nearly 8 in 10 members will continue to have access to $0/$0 Tier 1 and 2 copay structure
Added ~10 new drugs to MAPD formularies including popular drugs such as:
- Eligard (prostate cancer)
- Gemtesa (overactive bladder)
- Lantus (diabetes)*
- Toujeo (diabetes)*
- Truxima (biosimilar, rheumatoid arthritis)

*Drug already on B5+ in 2022

How can these formulary changes impact your clients?

Help your clients review which tier their drug will be on next year and what those tier costs will be. This is the best way to help them prepare for 2023 and be ready at the start of the new year.

Go to AetnaMedicare.com/formulary to check drug costs and discover savings.

Questions?

We’re here to help. Just reach out to your Aetna Medicare Broker Manager to learn more about plans and benefits in your market.

This communication is intended for use by brokers only and is not intended for distribution to Medicare beneficiaries. Any publication or distribution of this communication to unauthorized recipients without Aetna’s approval is prohibited.

Prior to engaging in the sale of Aetna Medicare products, producers must be ready to sell, which means certified, contracted, licensed in the applicable states, and appointed by Aetna in accordance with state law. As permitted in certain states, Aetna will order appointments after the first sale.