Aggrastat

Introduction

Written by Rachel Maynard, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Christina Bookwalter, PharmD, MS MEd, BCPS, BCACP
Updated on February 1, 2024

Tirofiban (tye roe FYE ban) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to reduce heart-related risks in people having a certain type of heart attack. The brand-name version of this drug is Aggrastat. The cost of tirofiban with or without insurance can depend on several factors.

Read on to learn about tirofiban and cost. If you’d like more information about tirofiban, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Cost of tirofiban

Like other medications, the cost of tirofiban can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• whether tirofiban is covered by your medical or prescription insurance
• the cost of having a healthcare professional give doses of tirofiban

To find out how much tirofiban costs, ask your doctor or insurance provider.

Coupons for medications

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

However, coupons aren’t available for medications, such as tirofiban, that are only given by a healthcare professional.

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 tirofiban

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 sometimes may require prior authorization before it covers the cost of medications. In these cases, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin treatment without this, you may have to pay the full price of the drug. For a drug such as tirofiban, which typically is used in an emergency situation, prior authorization may not be needed.
• Insurance coverage: Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of tirofiban may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of tirofiban. The cost of your doses will depend on your specific insurance plan. If you have questions about this process, contact your doctor or your insurance provider.
• Savings accounts: If you’re eligible for a health savings account (HSA) or a flexible spending account (FSA), you can likely use funds from these accounts to pay for your prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. HSA and FSA plans help people save money by using pretax dollars to pay for eligible healthcare expenses, such as prescription and OTC drugs. To learn more about whether you’re eligible for these savings accounts and how to use them, talk with your insurance provider or employer.

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 for prescription drugs. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.

Generics vs. brand-names

Tirofiban is a generic medication. The brand-name version of this drug is Aggrastat.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. (An active ingredient is what makes a medication work.)

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

If you have questions about the cost of generic tirofiban or Aggrastat, talk with your doctor or insurance provider. The hospital or health system may have a financial representative who can discuss costs with you.

Common questions about tirofiban and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about tirofiban.

Is tirofiban covered by Medicare?

Tirofiban may be covered by Medicare. Tirofiban is given by a healthcare professional in a hospital. For this reason, tirofiban may be covered under your medical plan instead of your drug plan.

If you have questions about the cost of your treatment, ask your doctor or your plan administrator.

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 patent and 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 ingredient in a brand-name medication. An active ingredient is what makes medication work.

This competition may help keep the costs of generic medications lower. Also, generic medications contain the same active ingredients 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 or pharmacist.

What to ask about tirofiban

This article provides cost information related to tirofiban. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescriptions. Above on this page, you’ll find coupon information. However, coupons aren’t available for drugs, such as tirofiban, that are only given by a healthcare professional.

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 insurance cover the cost of tirofiban?
• How much will my treatment with tirofiban cost?
• What options do I have if I can’t afford this medication?

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
• Tirofiban hydrochloride injection, for intravenous use. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/7731e46a-2121-441b-b090-12dcefe240f0/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.