Read on to learn about finasteride and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about finasteride, including its uses, refer to this overview article.
Cost of finasteride
Like other medications, the cost of finasteride can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:
- your insurance plan, if you have coverage
- the pharmacy you use
To find out how much finasteride costs, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. They may suggest ways to save money on your prescription, including those described in this article. To find out what you’d pay using savings coupons, read the following section.
Coupons for finasteride
Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of finasteride.
Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for finasteride when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.
Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.
Available app for coupons
To make finding and using these coupons easier, you can download the Optum Perks app. To learn more about this prescription discount app, see this article.
Common questions about finasteride and cost
Here are some common questions about finasteride and their answers.
Is there a cost difference between finasteride 1 mg and finasteride 5 mg?
Finasteride oral tablets are available in 1-milligram (mg) and 5-mg strengths. The strength your doctor prescribes may affect the drug’s price.
Insurance coverage may also affect the price. Insurance plans cover finasteride differently, including the amount they may charge for copay.
To learn how much you can expect to pay for finasteride, contact your insurance provider or ask at your pharmacy.
How much does finasteride cost without insurance?
Generally, the amount you must pay for prescription drugs can be higher when you don’t have insurance. But finasteride is a generic drug. Generic drugs tend to be less expensive than their brand-name versions. (Finasteride comes as the brand-name drugs Propecia and Proscar.)
If you’ll be paying for finasteride out of pocket, you may find coupons or other assistance available to help lower its cost. For details, see the “Coupons for finasteride” section above.
Why are costs different for brand-name drugs vs. generic drugs?
Brand-name drugs can be expensive because of the studies needed to test how safe and effective they are.
Makers of a brand-name drug can sell their drug for up to 20 years. When the patent for a brand-name drug expires, other drugmakers can create and sell generic versions. A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (The active drug is an ingredient that makes the drug work.)
This competition may help keep costs for generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active drugs as brand-name medications. So they don’t require the same testing, which can be costly.
Ask your doctor if you’d like to know more about the cost difference between brand-name and generic drugs.
Cost considerations for finasteride
Here’s a list of things to consider about the cost of prescription drugs:
- Prior authorization. If you have prescription drug insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers the cost of finasteride. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for finasteride. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin taking it without this, you may have to pay the full cost for the drug.
- Three-month supply. If you’re taking finasteride long term, your doctor may suggest a 90-day supply of the medication. This will have to be approved by your insurance company. Getting a 90-day supply could help lower the drug’s cost. It could also save you time having to make trips to your pharmacy.
If you have questions about any of these considerations, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Or contact your insurance company and talk with a representative.
If you don’t have a health insurance plan, let your doctor or pharmacist know. They may suggest online pharmacy options you could use. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.
