Drug categories
Your HMSA drug plan is designed to give you a choice of prescription drugs while you share in the cost through copayments and cost share, if applicable.
Consult with your health care provider to find the right prescription drug for you.
- Generic drugs - lowest copayment: Generic drugs are sold under their common generic or chemical name. Generics have the same active ingredients as their brand-name equivalents and have been found to be safe and effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. HMSA encourages the use of generics because their low cost results in the lowest copayment for you.
- Preferred brand drugs - higher fixed copayment: Some brand-name drugs are designated as preferred brand drugs when generic alternatives are not available or do not adequately represent a therapeutic class. For preferred brand drugs, you pay a higher fixed copayment than for generics.
- Other brand drugs - higher fixed copayment plus cost share: Other brand drugs have a higher member copayment. For most members, the out-of-pocket cost for other brand drugs is the preferred brand drug copayment plus the cost share.
Note: Refer to your plan certificate for information on the specific benefits and provisions of your plan.
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