Amikacin
Amikacin (am i KAY sin) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to treat certain types of bacterial infections. The generic form of amikacin is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of amikacin with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.
Amikacin (am i KAY sin) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to treat certain types of bacterial infections. The generic form of amikacin is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of amikacin with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.
- Brand
- • Solution
- • 10 x 2ml of 500mg/2ml
- • 1 Package
Dosage settings
Set your dosage
Make sure your dosage values are correct! In order for Optum Perks to provide the most accurate discount pricing for your prescription, take a moment to verify your dosage above.
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Intro
Introduction
Written by Rachel Maynard, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA
Updated on January 4, 2024
Amikacin (am i KAY sin) is a generic medication that’s prescribed to treat certain types of bacterial infections. The generic form of amikacin is not available in a brand-name version. The cost of amikacin with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.
Read on to learn about amikacin and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about amikacin, including its uses, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Cost
Cost of amikacin
Like other medications, the cost of amikacin can vary. Certain factors may affect its price, such as:
- your insurance plan, if you have coverage
- the cost to visit a healthcare professional to receive doses of amikacin
To find out how much amikacin 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 amikacin” section.
Coupons
Coupons for amikacin
Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of amikacin. The Optum Perks coupons above 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.
Insurance and other considerations
Insurance and other considerations for amikacin
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 amikacin. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for amikacin. The insurance company will decide whether to cover the medication. If a drug requires prior authorization and you begin using it without this, you may have to pay the full price of the drug.
- Insurance coverage. Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of amikacin may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because a doctor or another healthcare professional gives doses of amikacin. The cost of your doses will depend on your specific insurance plan and whether you receive the doses at your doctor’s clinic or a hospital. 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. You can also ask them about ways to obtain health insurance coverage.
Generics vs. brand-names
Generics vs. brand-names
Amikacin is a generic medication. Brand-name versions of amikacin are shown in the table below.
Form | Generic available | Brand available | Brand name |
injection | ✓ | ||
liquid solution that’s inhaled by mouth | ✓ | Arikayce |
Arikayce is approved to treat a lung condition caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). The generic version of amikacin is not approved to treat this condition.
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.) Generic amikacin is based on the brand-name version Amikin, 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 version.
To learn how the cost of amikacin compares with its brand-name version, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company.
FAQ
Common questions about amikacin and cost
Here are some common questions and answers about amikacin.
Is amikacin covered by Medicare?
It depends. Medicare is similar to other insurance plans in that its prescription drug coverage may vary based on your specific plan.
The price you’ll pay for amikacin can also vary due to other factors, including:
- the dosage form
- where you get the drug, such as at a clinic, hospital, or through home infusion
- whether you’ve paid your deductible for the year
If you have questions about how much your amikacin prescription will cost, talk with your insurance provider, pharmacist, or doctor.
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 or pharmacist.
What to ask
What to ask about amikacin
This article provides cost information related to amikacin. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupons for amikacin.
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:
- Will my insurance cover the cost of amikacin?
- Are there other lower cost drugs available to treat my condition?
- What other options are available if I can’t afford my medication?
Resources
Resources
- Amikacin sulfate – amikacin sulfate injection, solution. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/c0f57839-1c9b-49e5-8c7a-708e2d16495d/spl-doc
- Food and Drug Administration. (2024). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
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.
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