The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just shared a preliminary list of generic drugs it plans to make available to Medicare recipients for $2 in a pilot program.
The program, which could start as early as 2027, will give people enrolled in a participating Medicare prescription drug plan access to dozens of generic drugs for a fixed copayment of no more than $2 for a month’s supply of a drug.
“The Medicare $2 Drug List Model will aim to help improve access to and affordability of low-cost generic drugs for people with Medicare prescription drug coverage, and we encourage the public to provide feedback on the model,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure in a press release.
The pilot program is meant to asses whether access to low-cost generics could improve drug adherence, health outcomes, and satisfaction with Medicare drug plans.
The drugs on the initial list aim to target common conditions such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure — they include penicillin, metformin, and inhalers.
About 95% (or 40 million) of Medicare beneficiaries have filed a prescription for a drug on the list, according to CMS.
“The initial version of the $2 Drug List represents a starting point for the drug list that would be included in the model,” said Liz Fowler, CMS deputy administrator and director of the Innovation Center. “CMS intends to include many drugs that are used to treat common conditions for people with Medicare, with periodic updates to the drug list once it is finalized.”
CMS added that generic drug launches, changing clinical indications, and trends in pricing will require updates to the $2 Drug List before the launch of the program and at regular intervals throughout the course of the pilot.