Altacaine, Tetracaine Hcl

Introduction

Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Victor Nguyen, PharmD, MBA
Updated on February 8, 2024

Tetracaine (TEH truh kayn) is a generic medication that’s given by a healthcare professional to prevent pain. It is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of tetracaine can depend on several factors.

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

Cost of tetracaine

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

• your insurance plan, if you have coverage
• the cost of the surgery or procedure

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

Coupons for tetracaine

Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of certain medications. The Optum Perks coupons above can provide significant savings if you take prescription drugs for medical conditions.

But coupons aren’t available for medications like tetracaine that are only given by a healthcare professional.

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.

Insurance and other considerations for tetracaine

The cost of tetracaine typically is billed through your medical insurance rather than a health benefits policy. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of dobutamine in a hospital or clinic setting. The cost of your doses will depend on your medical insurance coverage.

If you have questions about this, ask your doctor or contact your medical insurance company.

Generics vs. brand-names

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

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.) Tetracaine injection is based on the brand-name version Pontocaine, which is no longer available. Tetracaine eye drops are based on the brand-name version Altacaine, which is no longer available.

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

Common questions about tetracaine and cost

Here are some common questions and answers about tetracaine.  

Does tetracaine eye drops cost less than the injection form of the drug?

Possibly. Tetracaine eye drops are given by a healthcare professional before eye surgery or other eye procedures. Tetracaine injection is given by a healthcare professional before a surgery or procedure that requires spinal anesthesia.

The cost of either form of tetracaine (eye drops vs injection) will depend on your medical insurance if you have it. The government sets surgery and procedure payment rates for Medicare and Medicaid. Private medical insurance providers negotiate payment rates for surgeries and procedures. The payment rate will be specific to the surgery or procedure you have. Medications are included in this payment rate.

You can learn more about how the cost of tetracaine by contacting your insurance provider. 

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 a medication work.)

This competition may help keep 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 tetracaine

This article provides cost information related to tetracaine.

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

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

• Is the cost of tetracaine included in my surgery or procedure billing?
• Are there lower cost drugs that could be used for my surgery or procedure?
• What are my options if I can’t afford my medical bills?

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   
• Tetracaine HCl- tetracaine hcl injection. (2020). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/2b3349c1-bd02-4442-9bf0-40a654bb8a80/spl-doc
• Tetracaine hydrochloride- tetracaine hydrochloride solution/drops. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/fae938d3-6b00-4025-bc0b-6cf99445358d/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.