Which statement about formulary development is accurate?

• A. A formulary is a list of all drugs regardless of price and coverage.
• B. A formulary is a defined list of covered drugs with tiered coverage; it steers prescribing toward cost-effective therapies and manages drug costs.
• C. A formulary is a detailed clinical trial protocol for new medications.
• D. A formulary is a policy that sets provider salaries based on drug spending.

Answer: (B)

Formulary development centers on creating a defined list of medications that a health plan covers, with tiered coverage designed to steer prescribing toward cost-effective therapies and to manage overall drug costs. This approach uses tiers to influence copays, promotes preferred, evidence-based options, and often applies utilization tools like prior authorization or step therapy to balance patient access with budget constraints. The emphasis is on selecting value-based therapies and controlling expenditures, not simply listing every drug, conducting clinical trials, or setting provider salaries.