There are three categories of covered drugs with three different copayments: generic drugs, preferred brand-name drugs, and nonpreferred brand-name drugs.

Generic Drugs
You will pay the lowest copayment for generic drugs. Generics are equivalent to their brand-name counterparts, and are ensured by the Food and Drug Administration to be as safe and effective.

Preferred Brand-Name Drugs
These are drugs for which generic equivalents are not available. They have been in the market for a time and are widely accepted.

Non-preferred Brand-Name Drugs
These drugs have the highest copayment. Generally these are higher-cost medications that have recently come on the market. So-called “designer” drugs also fall into this category. In most cases, an alternative preferred medication is available.