Horizon BCBSNJ is committed to providing members with access to safe and effective medications. We offer a three-tier prescription drug benefit which is designed to allow members to choose drugs that best meet their medical needs. This benefit structure encourages patients and physicians to discuss possible treatment options and to choose the most appropriate and cost-effective care.

Covered medications are categorized into one of the three tiers described below:

• Tier One: Preferred Generic Drugs (lowest copay)
  Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as brand name medications. Generics are chemically and therapeutically equivalent to brand drugs, but are available at a lower price.
   
• Tier Two: Preferred Brand Drugs (middle copay)
  These brand name drugs have been identified as the most therapeutically safe and effective options for treatment of most medical conditions. These drugs do not have less-costly generic equivalents because they are sold under a trademarked name.
   
• Tier Three: Non-Preferred Brand Drugs (highest copay)
  These brand drugs often have either a generic equivalent or a preferred-brand drug alternative.
   

Decisions to place brand medications into either Tier Two or Tier Three are made by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee (P&T Committee) of Horizon BCBSNJ. The P&T Committee is an independent group of physicians and pharmacists that regularly reviews new and existing drugs and evaluates them based on clinical safety and efficacy.

Click here to link to the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey Prescription Drug Guide. It names all preferred drugs under our three-tier prescription plans in easy-to-read, alphabetical order.