Call for the alignment of Medicare Part D formularies with clinical treatment guidelines for asthma

The Global Initiative for Asthma, the most widely cited international guidelines for asthma management, currently recommends the use of maintenance and reliever therapy with an inhaled corticosteroid-formoterol inhaler based on evidence showing reductions in asthma exacerbations and hospitalizations vs short-acting relievers alone. A review of Medicare Part D plans based on a Kaiser Family Foundation report reveals that the formulary design of many plans is not aligned with this recommendation, resulting in restricted prescriber adherence to the guidelines and limited patient access to standard-of-care treatments. To improve clinical outcomes, it is key that Medicare Part D plans minimize barriers to access through prioritization of inhaled corticosteroid-formoterol regimens as preferred formulary agents.