Anthem Ends Brand Name Lipitor Drug Coverage

Beginning April 1, 2012, brand name Lipitor will no longer be covered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's prescription drug benefit plans. The generic for Lipitor, atorvastatin, will continue to be covered.

Late last year atorvastatin, a new generic for the brand name Lipitor, was added to Anthem's drug list. Atorvastatin is covered by the prescription drug benefit plans. This change means members can save money on their prescription drug costs without giving up quality.

As of mid-January, 84% of members have successfully switched from Lipitor to atorvastatin. Anthem's goal is to encourage all members currently taking Lipitor to switch to atorvastatin to save money on their prescription drug costs without giving up quality.

Lipitor Gone Generic

Lipitor generic, Atorvastatin, has been added to the drug list with Anthem as of November 30, 2011.  This generic is tier 1 and will be a significant savings for members if they choose to take the generic. The tier 1 with Anthem is the lowest co-pay for members.  As always, members would want to consult with their Physicians if the generic would be suitable for them to switch to.

Also, Anthem announced the name brand, Lipitor, as of December 5, 2011, has moved to tier 3. Depending on the plan members are enrolled in, the full cost of the name brand could be the member's cost. Members are advised to check on the particular drug benefit they have to determine how this will impact them.

If you have any questions or need more information on this the Anthem website is a great tool to utilize for any drug changes with Express Scripts or you can always contact Customer Care with McGohan Brabender and we’ll be happy to assist.