In case you missed the news, pharmacy benefit company CVS/Caremark dropped coverage of erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Viagra, opting instead to cover Cialis.
Why the change?
With both drugs being brand name, it’s not as if CVS is choosing a cheaper generic over a more expensive brand-name drug.
Yet the company has indicated that the changes will result in cost savings. Apparently, it’s nothing personal, as the insurance provider dropped 26 drugs from its list of covered medications, including another erectile dysfunction drug, Levitra.
One explanation may be that CVS/Caremark is buying bundles of drugs, which offers a lower price.
If CVS is buying ED pills from a drug company that also sells cancer drugs or blood thinners, a “package deal” may lower all the drugs’ costs. Only true insiders will know how much of a discount CVS/Caremark was able to negotiate as the company refuses to discuss it publicly.
Another explanation could be that Cialis is approved to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that cause the frequent or urgent need to urinate.
What can men expect from Cialis?
Manufactured by Eli Lilly & Co., Cialis has both pros and cons, and the difference between it and Pfizer’s Viagra are minor. Both work by increasing blood flow to help men attain an erection.
Both also have side effects, including feeling flushed, headache, upset stomach, among others. Unlike Viagra, Cialis has been known to cause back pain in some patients.
With Cialis, men have two options: they can take a low-dose daily pill or take a higher dose only when it’s needed.
So where can CVS customers buy Viagra?
CVS will still carry Viagra for customers who pay out of pocket, or who are covered under different insurance plans. In addition, some will choose to purchase Viagra more privately—through certified online pharmacies.
In an email to CNBC, a Pfizer spokesman said, “Viagra continues to be available to millions of patients in the marketplace, including many patients whose pharmacy benefit is managed by Caremark.”
In other words, it’s not going anywhere.
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