Medicare Part D plan formularies are required to include:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
CMS requires every Medicare Part D plan formulary to include at least two drugs in each therapeutic category and class of the U.S. Pharmacopeia classification. This ensures beneficiaries have a meaningful choice of treatments, though plans may use tiers and prior authorization to manage utilization. A plan is not required to cover every FDA-approved drug, and brand-name coverage varies by plan. The two-drug minimum is a specific regulatory standard tested on the exam. Plans may still require step therapy, prior authorization, or quantity limits, but the formulary structure must preserve access to at least two options per class. This balance between choice and cost control is a distinguishing feature of Part D design.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) Formularies must include both generic and brand-name drugs; they are not limited to generics.
- C) No Part D plan covers every FDA-approved drug; formularies are selective with a minimum of two per category and class.
- D) The requirement is a minimum of two drugs per category and class, not a single preferred drug.
Memory hook
Two drugs per class is Part D's promise — a floor for choice, not a warehouse of everything.