Steqeyma and Yesintek biosimilars replace Stelara for Medicare Part D plans

Effective June 1, 2025, Stelara was replaced by Steqeyma™ and Yesintek™, 2 interchangeable biosimilar products, on UnitedHealthcare® Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan formularies and most Group Medicare Advantage Plan formularies.

This is part of our commitment to providing members with access to high-quality medications at the lowest possible costs.

What you need to know

Most state laws allow for biosimilar substitution when the biosimilar manufacturer has been granted interchangeable status. The patient’s specialty pharmacy will assist in switching them to the biosimilar, and you will not need to do anything.

In some states, you may need to write a new prescription for one of these biosimilar options to prevent delays in patient access to this medication.

For more information, see the Cardinal Health Biosimilar Interchangeability Laws tool.

Our biosimilar approach

We support biosimilar competition to help improve affordability for Medicare plans, including negotiation with both innovator and biosimilar manufacturers to promote cost-effective, clinically equivalent products. As more biosimilars enter the market, prices are expected to drop, leading to more affordable options for patients.

The FDA approval process ensures that biosimilars are highly similar to the original products, with no clinically meaningful differences in safety or efficacy. To gain interchangeable status, manufacturers must provide the FDA with additional data on switching between the biosimilar and the original product. If a biosimilar is designated as interchangeable, it can be substituted at the pharmacy without a new prescription, depending on state laws.