Nateglinide

Introduction

Written by Malini Ghoshal, RPh, MS
Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Updated on May 28, 2023

Nateglinide oral tablet is a generic medication that’s prescribed for type 2 diabetes. Nateglinide is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of nateglinide with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.

Read on to learn about nateglinide and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about nateglinide, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Cost of nateglinide

Like other medications, the cost of nateglinide 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 nateglinide costs, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider. They may be able to 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 “Coupons for nateglinide” section.

Coupons for nateglinide

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of nateglinide. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with 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.

Insurance and other considerations for nateglinide

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 nateglinide. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for nateglinide. 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 price of the drug.
• A 3-month supply. If you’re taking nateglinide 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.

Common questions about nateglinide and cost

Here are some common questions about nateglinide and their answers. 

Does nateglinide cost more than metformin?

The cost of nateglinide compared with metformin depends on various factors. Metformin is another drug used for type 2 diabetes. These factors include:

• whether you have insurance coverage
• your dosage of the medication
• the pharmacy you use, especially if you don’t have insurance coverage

If you have questions about how nateglinide’s cost compares with metformin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can provide more specific cost information.

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 make and sell generic versions. A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.)

This competition may help keep costs of 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.

If you’d like to know more about the cost differences between brand-name and generic drugs, talk with your doctor.

Generics vs. brand-names

Nateglinide is a generic medication. It’s not available in a brand-name version.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.) Nateglinide is based on the brand-name version Starlix, which is no longer available.

Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re considered as safe and effective as the brand-name version.

What to ask about nateglinide

This article provides cost information related to nateglinide. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. You’ll find a link to coupons for nateglinide near the beginning of this article.

If you have more questions about paying for this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also contact your insurance company.

Here’s a list of questions you may want to ask regarding the cost of your medication:

• Does my dosage affect my cost of nateglinide?
• If I cannot afford nateglinide, are there other medications available for my condition?
• What other ways can I save on the cost of my prescription?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Nateglinide tablets for oral use. (2022). nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/c678b772-acba-4b59-a0b2-d70d84283425/spl-doc

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.