(Washington, D.C.) — Pharmaceutical Care Management Association President and CEO Mark Merritt issued the following statement on the Administration’s announcement to provide Medicare Part D plans additional flexibility in designing Medicare Part D formularies around medical indications.

“While PCMA is reviewing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ announcement on Medicare Part D formularies, we appreciate that the Administration is taking another step in the right direction by allowing for increased use of pharmacy benefit manager, PBM, tools in the Part D program. By implementing this policy in 2020, the Administration also recognizes the amount of time it takes to implement such sweeping changes.

Indication-based formulary design successfully lowers prescription drug costs in the commercial market and will offer Medicare beneficiaries broader coverage choices for their specific conditions.”