Erythromycin DR, Ery-tab, Erythromycin (oral)
Erythromycin is a generic medication prescribed for certain bacterial infections and acne. It comes as the brand-name drugs Erygel, Erythrocin, and others. The cost of erythromycin with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.
Erythromycin is a generic medication prescribed for certain bacterial infections and acne. It comes as the brand-name drugs Erygel, Erythrocin, and others. The cost of erythromycin with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.
- Generic
- • Tablet Delayed Release
- • 500mg
- • 6 Tablets
Dosage settings
Set your dosage
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Intro
Introduction
Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA
Updated on November 15, 2023
Erythromycin is a generic medication prescribed for certain bacterial infections and acne. It comes as the brand-name drugs Erygel, Erythrocin, and others. The cost of erythromycin with or without insurance can depend on several factors. It might be lowered by using a coupon.
Erythromycin comes in these forms:
- oral forms:
- liquid suspension (a type of liquid mixture)
- immediate-release (IR)* tablet
- delayed-release (DR)* tablet
- DR capsule
- topical forms that are applied to your skin:
- liquid solution
- gel
- eye ointment
- injection that a healthcare professional will inject as an intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into your vein given over time)
The approved uses of erythromycin depend on the form your doctor prescribes.
Read on to learn about erythromycin and cost. You’ll also find available coupons and suggestions for ways to save on your prescription. If you’d like more information about erythromycin, including its uses, refer to this overview article.
* IR means the drug is released into your body right away. DR means the drug is released into your body slowly over time.
Cost
Cost of erythromycin
Like other medications, the cost of erythromycin 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 erythromycin 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 following section.
Coupons
Coupons for erythromycin
Prescription drug coupons can help you save money by lowering the cost of erythromycin. 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 erythromycin
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 erythromycin. In this case, your doctor will communicate with your insurance company regarding your prescription for erythromycin. 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.
- Insurance coverage. Even if your policy has prescription drug coverage, the price of erythromycin lactobionate injection may instead be billed through your medical coverage. This is because doses of erythromycin lactobionate injection are given by a doctor or another healthcare professional. 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.
- A 3-month supply. If you’re taking erythromycin 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.
Generics vs. brand-names
Generics vs. brand-names
Erythromycin is a generic medication. Its brand-name versions are shown in the following table:
Form | Generic available | Brand available | Brand name |
erythromycin oral liquid suspension | ✓ | ✓ | E.E.S., Eryped |
erythromycin immediate-release (IR) oral tablet | ✓ | ||
erythromycin delayed-release (DR) oral tablet | ✓ | ✓ | Ery-Tab |
erythromycin DR oral capsule | ✓ | ✓ | Eryc |
erythromycin eye ointment | ✓ | ||
erythromycin topical liquid solution | ✓ | ✓ | Erythra-Derm |
erythromycin topical gel | ✓ | ✓ | Erygel |
erythromycin lactobionate injection | ✓ | ✓ | Erythrocin |
erythromycin topical pad or swab | ✓ | Ery | |
erythromycin stearate oral tablet | ✓ | Erythrocin Stearate | |
erythromycin ethylsuccinate (EES) oral tablet | ✓ | E.E.S. 400 |
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.) Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name versions.
If your doctor has prescribed erythromycin but you’re interested in taking a brand-name version, let them know. They may prefer one medication over the other. Also, check whether your insurance plan covers only one version of the drug.
To learn how the cost of erythromycin compares with its brand-name versions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You could also contact your insurance company.
FAQ
Common questions about erythromycin and cost
Here are some common questions about erythromycin and their answers.
Does erythromycin eye ointment cost more than the oral tablet form of the drug?
Possibly. The dosage form your doctor prescribes may affect the price of erythromycin. So it’s possible that the eye ointment may cost more than the immediate-release (IR) oral tablet or the delayed-release (DR) oral tablet.
In addition to the dosage form, other factors can affect the cost of erythromycin. Examples may include your insurance coverage (if you have it), the pharmacy you use, and the condition it’s prescribed to help treat.
Keep in mind, doctors prescribe erythromycin eye ointment to help treat eye infections caused by bacteria. And doctors prescribe erythromycin oral tablets to help treat bacterial infections in different places in your body.
To find out how much your erythromycin prescription will cost, ask your pharmacist or insurance provider, if you have coverage.
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 without anyone else making their drug. 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, which have already been tested. So generic medications don’t require the same kind of costly testing as brand-name medications.
If you’d like to know more about the cost differences between brand-name and generic drugs, talk with your doctor.
What to ask
What to ask about erythromycin
This article provides cost information related to erythromycin. It also offers suggestions for ways to save money on your prescription. Above on this page, you’ll find coupons for erythromycin.
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 dosage of erythromycin affect the cost?
- Are there lower-cost drugs that could treat my condition?
- What are my options if I’m unable to afford my medications?
Resources
Resources
- Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/2be16639-b153-407b-b43d-3a2bcf66151e/spl-doc
- Erythromycin tablets. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/5d19702d-bb87-4f6b-84e5-35424611404a/spl-doc
- Erythromycin topical solution. (2022). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/00c4f27e-59e2-4173-99b1-59dd295e83de/spl-doc
- Food and Drug Administration. (2023). 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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