formulary

noun for·mu·lary \ ˈfȯr-myə-ˌler-ē \

|Updated on: 5 Jun 2018

Definition of formulary

plural formularies

1 : a collection of prescribed forms (such as oaths or prayers)

2 : formula 1

3 : a book listing medicinal substances and formulas

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formulary

adjective

Recent Examples of formulary from the Web

PBMs decide which drugs are listed on a formulary, how much pharmacies are reimbursed and how much insurers pay.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Why CVS Loves ObamaCare," 29 May 2018
John Leppard of Washington Analysis, which tracks the pharmaceutical industry for investors, believes the Trump administration might also consider changing Medicare Part B pricing and Medicaid formularies.

— erin mershon, STAT, "Trump often goes off script. What does that mean for his drug pricing speech?," 7 May 2018
The budget suggests: Allowing up to five states to join together to negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers and to set up their own drug formularies.

— Washington Post, "The Health 202: Trump's budget shows he is serious about tackling the opioid crisis," 13 Feb. 2018
While the government pays sticker price for drugs under the Part B program, the Part D program allows insurers and pharmacy benefit managers to negotiate formularies.

— sarah jane tribble, Washington Post, "Trump’s Budget Proposal Swings At Drug Prices With A Glancing Blow," 12 Feb. 2018
But then there are reports like the one from Inside Health Policy, which suggested HHS might deny Massachusetts’s proposal to pursue one of those policies, a Medicaid drug formulary.

— dylan scott, Vox, "House Democrat wants to know why a pharma insider is overseeing Trump’s drug pricing reform," 9 Apr. 2018
Before this year, numerous other manufacturers’ test strips were included on the Express Script’s formulary.

— cathy cunningham, chicagotribune.com, "Column: More questions answered on medications not being covered by insurance," 4 Apr. 2018
The alternative is that PBMs place drugs on non-preferred tiers or don’t cover medications on their formulary at all.

— jaclyn cosgrove, latimes.com, "What the $52-billion Cigna purchase of Express Scripts means for consumers," 12 Mar. 2018
These states could negotiate drug prices directly with manufacturers and set up their own drug formularies with an appeals process that would help patients get drugs that are medically necessary.

— jayne o'donnell, USA TODAY, "Trump budget slashes Medicare, other health programs while boosting money for opioid crisis," 12 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'formulary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of formulary

1541

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Medical Dictionary

formulary

noun for·mu·lary \ ˈfȯr-myə-ˌler-ē \

medical Definition of formulary

plural formularies

1 : a book containing a list of medicinal substances and formulas — see national formulary

2 : an official list of generic and brand name pharmaceutical drugs designated by a health insurance provider as approved for coverage under the provider's pharmacy plan benefits