A polymer coating for medical devices based on a derivatized poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) is disclosed. A variety of polymers are described to make coatings for medical devices, particularly, for drug delivery stents. The polymers include poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) modified by alkylation, esterification, and introduction of fluorinated alkyl fragments, polysiloxane fragments and poly(ethylene glycol) fragments into the macromolecular chains of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol).