According to CNN Money and other sources, CVS plans to drop 28 prescription drugs, including Viagra, from its list of covered medicines beginning 2016.
Though the drugs will still be available at CVS/pharmacy stores, customers who use CVS/Caremark insurance will no longer receive coverage for them,
However, the company will still cover cheaper alternatives to the drugs affected — for example, it will cover Cialis, made by Eli Lilly, to treat erectile dysfunction.
“For those drugs that are removed, equally effective products with lower overall costs remain available,” CVS said in a statement. “Since introducing our industry-leading and rigorous approach … we have delivered significant savings for our plan sponsors.”
The New York Daily News notes that drug makers sometimes give pharmacy benefit managers discounts for shutting out competitors. CVS stopped covering Bayer’s rival ED drug Levitra in January 2012.
Since that year, the company’s list of excluded drugs has sharply risen from 34 to 124, which will be the latest figure when 2016 rolls around.
See below for the full list of drugs CVS will drop from its coverage next year:
Abilify (antipsychotic)
Amitiza (irritable bowel disease)
Avonex (multiple sclerosis)
Bydureon (diabetes)
Carac (dermatology)
Cardizem, including Cardizem CD, Cardizem LA and its generic (high blood pressure)
Clobetasol spray (dermatology)
Clobex spray (dermatology)
Cymbalta (depression)
Diovan (high blood pressure)
Exforge, including Exforge HCT (high blood pressure)
Extavia (multiple sclerosis)
Fluorouracil cream 0.5% (dermatology)
Fortesta (testosterone replacement)
Fosrenol (kidney disease)
Incruse Ellipta (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Intuniv (ADHD)
Invokameet (diabetes)
Invokana (diabetes)
Matzim LA (high blood pressure)
Monovisc (monovisc)
Noritate (dermatology)
Plegridy (multiple sclerosis)
Qsymia (anti-obesity)
Relistor (gastrointestinal)
Valcyte (anti-infective)
Viagra (erectile dysfunction)
Zubsolv (opioid dependence)