Pharmacy Part D
Changes for 2026 – Starting January 1, 2026 CHRISTUS Health Plan is partnering with CVS Caremark® to manage your prescription benefit plan and help keep your medication costs low.
How will this change impact you? Find out here!
Use the Transition Pharmacy Locator tool to see if your pharmacy will still be in our network. Over 92% of all members won’t have to change a thing!
Use the Transition Formulary Drug Search tool to see if any changes are coming to the tiering or authorizations for your current medications.
CHRISTUS Health Plan and CVS Caremark will reach out to any members affected by a formulary change after January 1 to guide you through any next steps.
Pharmacy Transition
Continue to use your current pharmacy through the end of the year. Use the Pharmacy Locator tool above to find the most convenient pharmacy near you. After January 1st, you’ll be able to set up your online CVS Caremark account via your CHRISTUS Health Plan member portal to easily move any current prescriptions to your new pharmacy, and set up any recurring home deliveries via the website, over the phone, or by mailing in the home delivery order form. You will also be able to call CVS Customer Care for assistance in moving your medications or you can visit your new pharmacy in-person and ask them to transfer your current prescriptions. Don’t forget to mention your new pharmacy to any providers at your next visit in the new year!
Prescription Drug Coverage for Medicare Part D
As a member of CHRISTUS Health Medicare Complete or Medicare Plus you have prescription drug coverage for Medicare Part D in addition to medical and hospital benefits.
- To see if CHRISTUS Health Plan covers a specific prescription drug, please search our downloadable, or online formulary below.
- To keep costs low for members and reduce medication errors, we use utilization management practices and drug utilization reviews.
View our pharmacy management procedures.
Managing Resources and Medications
Utilization management is a practice where some medical services and drugs are evaluated for need before they can be used. This means that for certain prescription drugs, special rules restrict how and when the plan covers them. A team of doctors and pharmacists developed these rules to help members use drugs effectively and keep coverage affordable.
Examples of utilization management include:
Prior Authorization
We may require you to get approval from us before you fill certain prescriptions. If you don’t get approval, we may not provide coverage for the drug.
Downloadable List of Prescriptions that require a Prior Authorization per plan coverage year.
- 2025 Premier Performance Standard Prior Authorization (PDF) Last Updated 09/01/2025
Quantity Limits
We may limit or only cover a certain amount of a drug per prescription or for a period of time.
Step Therapy
In some cases, members may need to try one drug to treat their condition before we will provide coverage for another drug.
Downloadable List of Prescriptions that are part of Step Therapy utilization per plan year.
- 2025 Premier Performance Standard Step Therapy (PDF) Last Updated 09/01/2025
Generic Substitution
When a generic version of a drug is available, our pharmacies will automatically give members that version unless your doctor has told us that you must take the brand name drug.
You can find out if your drug is subject to these additional requirements or limits by looking in our formulary. If your drug does have additional restrictions or limits, you can ask us to make an exception to our coverage rules.
During a drug utilization review, we check your prescriptions and look for problems like:
- Possible medication errors
- Duplicate drugs that are unnecessary
- Drugs that are inappropriate because of your age or gender
- Possible harmful interactions between drugs you are taking
- Drug allergies or dosage errors
These reviews are especially important if you have multiple doctors who prescribe medications.
We conduct reviews each time you fill a prescription and on a regular basis. If we see a problem during our review, we will work with your doctor to correct it.
A coverage determination is a decision made by CHRISTUS Health Plan regarding payment, dosage limits prior authorization and other matters with prescription drugs. Coverage determinations can be requested if a member disagrees with:
- Receipt or payment for a prescription drug that a member believes may be covered
- A tiering or formulary exception
- The amount that CHRISTUS Health Plan requires a member to pay for a Part D prescription drug
- The limit on the quantity or dose of a requested drug
- A requirement that a member try another drug before CHRISTUS Health Plan will pay for the requested drug
- A decision on whether the member has or has not satisfied a prior authorization or other utilization management requirement
How to Request a Part D Coverage Determination or Exception
A member, their representative, or a prescribing physician may request a coverage determination by filling out the Part D Coverage Determination Request Form. Complete the form and fax it to 1-877-251-5896 or mail it to:
Express Script
ATTN: Medicare Reviews
P.O. Box 66571
St. Louis, MO 63166-6571
This form is also available in Spanish. Solicitud de determinación de cobertura de medicamentos recetados de Medicare.
A member, their representative, or a prescribing physician may also request a coverage determination by selecting the link below and completing the information.
Part D Coverage Determination & Exception Decisions
For requests for benefits that do not involve exceptions, the Plan will provide notice of its decision within 72 hours after receiving an expedited request or 7 days after receiving a standard request.
For requests for benefits that involve exceptions, the adjudication timeframes do not begin until the member’s prescriber submits his or her supporting statement to the Plan for review.
For payment requests, including payment requests that involve exceptions, CHRISTUS Health Plan Generation will provide written notice of its decision (and make payment when appropriate) within 14 calendar days after receiving a request.
If CHRISTUS Health Plan Generation coverage determination is unfavorable, the decision will contain the information needed to file a request for appeal / redetermination with the Plan.
What is a Formulary?
A formulary is a list of prescription drugs covered by your CHRISTUS Health Medicare Complete Plan or Medicare Plus Plan. The drugs on this list are selected by the CHRISTUS Health Plan with the help of doctors and pharmacists.
The formulary also provides a brief description of your coverage.
Below we provide you with a comprehensive formulary (a complete listing of covered drugs) plans and an abridged formulary (a partial listing of covered drugs) for your convenience to download. Additionally, we offer you an online searchable version.
Searchable Formulary
Medicare Complete
Medicare Plus
2026 Formulary Drug Search
Check for any 2026 changes to prescription drug tiering or authorizations with our CVS Caremark Transition Formulary Drug Search tool – changes will go into effect January 1, 2026
Downloadable Formulary
- 2025 Comprehensive Formulary English (PDF) Last Updated 09/01/2025
- 2025 Comprehensive Formulary Spanish (PDF) Last Updated 09/01/2025
Express Scripts Mobile App
Programs
Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a free service for members who take multiple medications for multiple health conditions.
Medication Therapy Management ProgramIf you are a member of a CHRISTUS Health Plan Medicare Complete (HMO), Medicare Plus (HMO), or Medicare Guardian (HMO) plan, you have access to an over-the-counter (OTC) pharmacy benefit.
Over the Counter Drug ProgramH1189_WEB25MM3012_M | Last Updated 10/03/25