Timolol (Betimol, Istalol, Timoptic) — 2026 Medicare Part D coverage
timolol — sold as Betimol, Istalol, Timoptic: 15 forms appear in Medicare Part D formularies for 2026. This page reports what plans filed with CMS; it does not recommend a plan.
Which plans in your county cover timolol?
Pick a county to see every Medicare Advantage plan filed there and every stand-alone Part D plan in its region, with this drug's tier, restrictions and tier cost sharing.
How to read drug coverage
Tier is the cost-sharing tier the plan assigned the drug in its CMS formulary filing; lower tiers usually cost less. PA = prior authorization, ST = step therapy (try another drug first), QL = quantity limit. Not on formulary means the plan did not list this exact form; the plan may cover another strength or a formulary exception may be possible. Cost sharing is the plan's initial-coverage amount for the tier as filed with CMS; the deductible, the $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap, the $35 insulin cap and negotiated prices for selected drugs can change what you actually pay. Formularies change during the year; the plan's formulary document and Medicare.gov govern.
What the star rating under each Medicare Advantage plan means
What the star rating means. CMS rates every Medicare Advantage contract (the "H" number in the plan ID — all plans under it share the rating) on a 1-to-5 scale each October, from about 40 measures of care quality, member experience, complaints and appeals, customer service and, for plans with drug coverage, drug safety and pricing. The 2026 rating is largely based on performance measured in 2024.
5 Excellent4 Above average3 Average2 Below average1 Poor
Not rated means CMS published no overall rating — usually a contract too new to be measured or with too few members ("not enough data"); it is not a low score. A 5-star contract can be joined outside the normal enrollment windows (the 5-star Special Enrollment Period, Dec 8 – Nov 30). Medicare.gov flags contracts rated below 3 stars for three years running as low-performing. Stars describe the contract's past performance as CMS measured it; they are not a recommendation, and they do not tell you whether a plan's network, drugs or costs fit you.
Forms and strengths in 2026 formularies
| Form | Formularies listing it | Most common tier | PA | ST | QL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| timolol maleate 0.25 % Ophthalmic Solution generic · RxCUI 1923428 | 328 (100%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| timolol 0.5 % 12HR Ophthalmic Solution generic · RxCUI 1992303 | 327 (100%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| timolol maleate 10 MG Oral Tablet generic · RxCUI 198284 | 324 (99%) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| timolol maleate 5 MG Oral Tablet generic · RxCUI 198286 | 322 (98%) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| timolol maleate 20 MG Oral Tablet generic · RxCUI 198285 | 293 (89%) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| timolol maleate 0.5 % Ophthalmic Gel Forming Solution generic · RxCUI 313408 | 257 (78%) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| timolol maleate 0.25 % Ophthalmic Gel Forming Solution generic · RxCUI 313407 | 256 (78%) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| timolol hemihydrate 0.5 % Ophthalmic Solution generic · RxCUI 2702393 | 73 (22%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| timolol 0.5 % 24HR Ophthalmic Solution generic · RxCUI 1992299 | 61 (19%) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| timolol PF 0.25 % Ophthalmic Solution generic · RxCUI 1922876 | 19 (6%) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| timolol PF 0.5 % Ophthalmic Solution generic · RxCUI 1922894 | 15 (5%) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| BETIMOL 0.5 % Ophthalmic Solution brand · RxCUI 1992305 | 5 (2%) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Istalol 0.5 % 24HR Ophthalmic Solution brand · RxCUI 1992300 | 1 (0%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Timoptic PF 0.25 % Ophthalmic Solution brand · RxCUI 1922877 | 1 (0%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Timoptic PF 0.5 % Ophthalmic Solution brand · RxCUI 1922895 | 1 (0%) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Counts are formularies (of 328) in the CMS file that list the form, and how many of those apply prior authorization (PA), step therapy (ST) or a quantity limit (QL). Many plans share one formulary, so plan counts in a county will differ.
How to read drug coverage
Tier is the cost-sharing tier the plan assigned the drug in its CMS formulary filing; lower tiers usually cost less. PA = prior authorization, ST = step therapy (try another drug first), QL = quantity limit. Not on formulary means the plan did not list this exact form; the plan may cover another strength or a formulary exception may be possible. Cost sharing is the plan's initial-coverage amount for the tier as filed with CMS; the deductible, the $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap, the $35 insulin cap and negotiated prices for selected drugs can change what you actually pay. Formularies change during the year; the plan's formulary document and Medicare.gov govern.
What the star rating under each Medicare Advantage plan means
What the star rating means. CMS rates every Medicare Advantage contract (the "H" number in the plan ID — all plans under it share the rating) on a 1-to-5 scale each October, from about 40 measures of care quality, member experience, complaints and appeals, customer service and, for plans with drug coverage, drug safety and pricing. The 2026 rating is largely based on performance measured in 2024.
5 Excellent4 Above average3 Average2 Below average1 Poor
Not rated means CMS published no overall rating — usually a contract too new to be measured or with too few members ("not enough data"); it is not a low score. A 5-star contract can be joined outside the normal enrollment windows (the 5-star Special Enrollment Period, Dec 8 – Nov 30). Medicare.gov flags contracts rated below 3 stars for three years running as low-performing. Stars describe the contract's past performance as CMS measured it; they are not a recommendation, and they do not tell you whether a plan's network, drugs or costs fit you.