USP Releases Final Medicare Part D Model Formulary Guidelines

On January 3, 2005, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) released the final version of its model guidelines. The model guidelines are a list of drug categories and classes that Medicare Part D plans can use in structuring their formularies. The final document is substantially similar to a draft version of the model guidelines released in August 2004, which proved controversial. USP also released related documents entitled "Summary of USP Approach and Methodology to the Model Guidelines" and "USP Comments to the CMS Draft Guidance."